Different Styles of Persuasion
by Paint2ways
Summary: CJS, B and N try to persuade two OCs to go back in time so they can get back to the place in time they need to be. Rated mostly for violence and some male female interaction. Lots of action, please read and review.
1. First Style of Persuasion

A/N: This story is at the request of a friend that I told about a crazy dream I had. She thought it would make a good fanfic story. The first chapter is the dream up to the point where I woke up, it is kind of slow but read on it gets better. To avoid confusion of which 'Jack' (Davenport or Sparrow) that I am referring to I am going to just use their character names. This is my first fanfic so please be nice even in constructive criticism as all comments are welcome. Thanks and please do review.

**Disclaimer:** I have no claim to any of the characters except for Travis, Trevor, and Niece who are some favorite names of mine and me, and Whitney that is a real horse (which I do own.) I have permission from Lydia to use her name and Buzzard's (Lydia's horse.) The story is just a dream that had Disney's characters in it and they own the rest.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 1

Two friends Niece and Lydia were always a part of the jousting at the annual Midevil and Renaissance Faire held by the Hood River off the great Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. The jousting and knights that the friends were a part of had already set up their equipment and tents for their re-enactments to start the following day. Niece had mounted her filly Whitney and teased Lydia into saddling up Buzzard to practice with her since Lydia was fairly new to the group. As Lydia was saddling up Niece noticed that some of the other re-enactment groups, peddlers and others were in different stages of setting up their displays. Including the pirate group which had one guy that Niece had a little more than a passing interest in. But having been there and done that _and_ been burned several times before she was reluctant to pursue it. Plus she wasn't that particularly that good at letting Travis know that she even existed. This was because she was old fashioned and shy enough to let the guy make the first move which Travis hadn't done in the past couple of years the he had been a part of the pirate re-enactment group.

Niece had always been more than a little pirate obsessed since the first time she had ridden on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland which was more years ago than she was willing to admit. She had watched all the old pirate swashbuckling movies that she could even some of the silent ones. She knew all those romantic tales weren't even close to the way real pirates were back in the pirate day but it was still exciting to hope that maybe some could have been the way the movies portrayed them.

Lydia teased, "I see that your pirates have arrived."

"They aren't my pirates Lyd, but you can bet when we aren't doing a show I will be down there and in my knight's outfit, sighing and watching," Niece smiled, wiggling her eyebrows.

"That's stalking," Lydia teased. Lydia knew Niece had an attraction to Travis. Of course it helped that he always dressed up like Captain Jack Sparrow even though he looked more like Norrington in build, facial features and coloring. He even had green eyes and scruffy Norrington's hair color. But after the dreads and costume were on Travis looked like Captain Jack until you saw his eyes. Lydia had watched the last two years as Niece had managed to bump into Travis when ever she could but knew it wasn't stalking. She just wanted to flip Niece some crap.

"Yeeeeah, okay," Niece said which was her way of saying that it wasn't true.

"Wonder why they are so far away from us this year?" Lydia mused.

"Hmmm, let me take a wild guess at it. Jousting with _horses_ and cannons firing don't mix very well," Niece said seriously, then giggled. "Although they always have been closer to us until this year, we are at complete opposite ends of the Faire. Well, I will just have to walk farther."

"You know _he_ has a thing for you?" Lydia kept teasing.

"No, _he_ doesn't, _he_ doesn't even know I exist," Niece stated.

"Yes, _he_ does, ask Trevor, he is his friend and he told me that he does," Lydia continued teasing.

"Lyd, drop it, Travis doesn't have a thing for me. Even if he knew I existed, which he doesn't, he would know I have a thing for him and would tease me is all. Trevor is wrong," Niece glared at her friend.

Lydia threw her hands up in defeat and finished saddling Buzzard then mounted up. They picked up their lances and shields then went to opposite ends of the field. Niece thought, _'Boy is Lyd going to pay for teasing me about Travis. I am going to nail her every pass we make.' _And she smiled wickedly. Niece started Whitney out at a trot then a slow lope that turned into a run right before they met. She saw where Lydia was aiming and rolled her left shoulder back and to the right as they passed and scored on Lydia dead center in the chest. Lydia missed hitting Niece at all. Niece held up her broken lance and yelled in a sing song voice, "Wooooo, who's the knight, who's the knight? Yeah!"

"Hey, take it easy on me. Its just practice," Lydia yelled, "Everyone knows you're the best knight in our group."

"Paybacks," Niece grinned. "You put your guard down. Don't concentrate so much on where your lance is or where you are going to hit me. Watch where my lance is and move away from it for right now."

"Okay, let's go again," Lydia took the advice. They made two more passes and each time Niece got Lydia in the chest. Lydia was making progress in that at least her lance was bouncing off Niece the last pass they made.

"Let's rest and walk the horses before we continue with the 'Lyd lessons'," Niece snorted as she giggled at her clever quip.

Lydia frowned and mumbled, "Funny, real funny."

They got off and walked the horses up and down the field to cool the horses down and let them all catch their breath. When they stopped to take off their helmets and shields, Niece absentmindedly put on her sunglasses that way she was able to observe what she wanted and no one knew that was where she was looking. Lydia was the one that told Niece about the sunglasses thing and she put hers on also. Lydia commented that Trevor was down at the pirate camp talking to Captain Jack and someone who looked like they were dressed up as Scruffy Norrington. Niece wanted to see if Travis had dressed up like Scruffy Norrington this year instead of Jack since he did resemble Norrington more. Niece was curious enough to check the pirate camp out of the corner of her eye while walking the horses. They talked back and forth noting that before there had only been Travis dressed as Jack and another guy named Randy dressed like Barbossa. Those had been the only two characters from the movies. The rest just dressed as ordinary un-famous pirates. Maybe Travis had switched to Norrington this year. Also this year there seemed to be Jack, Will, Liz, Tia, Barbossa, Norrington, Mr. Gibbs, Marty, Mr. Cotton and Pintel and Ragetti. Niece was wondering where they found someone to play Marty when Lydia's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"This is a new development. Let's go down there and check it out," Lydia said reading Niece exact thoughts.

"What about the horses and cannon thing? They look like they are pretty set up and might start firing them. Let's just get back to practice. We will go later," Niece disagreed walking back over to put on their helmets and shields and take off the sunglasses.

They went back to practicing and the next time they decided to take a break. They were going through the same ritual with the equipment and glasses that they had the last time. Lydia commented that Trevor was headed their way and that the pirates were all standing around down there watching Trevor head towards them. This got Niece's attention and since she had on the sunglasses she took a look out of the corner of her eye so as not to be obvious and saw that they were looking up towards them talking and nodding their heads with each other.

"Tighten your cinch and let's get back to the 'Lyd Lessons.' This is kind of creeping me out, Trevor is up to something that involves them and you know how I hate surprises," Niece stopped Whitney and turned to tighten up her cinch and take the glasses off. Lydia rolled her eyes but did tighten Buzzard's cinch up.

Trevor had a big smile on his face when he got to where the women stood by their horses. He said, "You know Captain Jack and some others would like to come down and watch you two practice."

Niece thought he looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. "It's a free country," Niece shrugged as she mounted Whitney and Lydia did the same on Buzzard. Niece had a frown on her face as she kept thinking that Trevor was up to something, but noticed with excitement that a couple of the pirates started walking towards the jousting arena when Trevor motioned for them to come down. They made one pass and again Niece hit her mark while Lydia was looking at the pirates and totally missed her mark, she wasn't even close.

As Niece went back to get another lance she said loudly, "What in hell are you doing? That pass was a bunch of garbage."

Lydia loped up to her and whispered, "No joke, they are the real actors from POTC."

"Lyd…. are you shitting me? Dude, you are losing it, what are you babbling about?" Niece questioned as she turned to look where the pirates sat or lounged around the stands. She looked at the two standing up first since Jack was leaning a hip against the railing with arms crossed staring at the two women while saying something out of the side of his mouth to Norrington who was also leaning nonchalantly against the rail with his arms crossed, one booted toe resting across the other booted foot. He was also staring at them from under a lowered head making eye direct contact with Niece. It was un-nerving and Niece's hackles rose automatically.

She gasped and whispered, "Ohhhh dear, you are right." And her eyes shot back to Lydia. When she saw Lydia's face she warned her, "Dang it Lyd, don't embarrass me by getting all screaming fan on me."

Lydia's mouth fell open, then kept opening and shutting. Niece thought she looked like a fish out of water. To keep the pirates from seeing Lydia's reaction she kept nudging Whitney in the side to get her to side pass into Buzzard and keep them between Lydia and the pirates. "I swear Lyd if you embarrass me, I am going to die right after I throttle you. And close your mouth, you look like a fish out of water." Niece put a finger under Lydia's chin and gently closed it keeping her finger there to make sure it didn't open again.

Pretty soon Lydia squealed and started squirming around in her saddle, "Here they come." At Lydia's actions Niece thought, _'I guess we are never too old to get weak in the knees and all giddy at the attentions of a man.'_

Niece kept her back to the pirates as she warned her again with one word, "Lydia."

"Okay, okay," Lydia straightened up her face and stopped squirming.

Niece turned Whitney enough to see that in fact Jack, Norrington, Gibbs and Barbossa were doing a predatory pirate walk toward them completely in character. All of a sudden she thought of the lyrics to a Shania Twain song, _'D' ya have to walk the way you do? I get weak just watchin' you,'_ She thought, _'That just about sums up the way I feel._' She hid a blush as Jack stepped up next to her bowing for effect and in his best Captain Jack voice said, "I would like to try jousting, with your permission of course. I would use your horse?"

Niece's eyebrows shot up because she had been taught the hard way never to lend out a horse to someone that didn't know how to ride. Plus other than seeing him ride in movies, which wasn't encouraging, she asked him, "How much do you know about horses?"

He smiled crookedly his chocolate brown eyes never losing eye contact with her ice blue ones and said, "Not much."

Niece put a finger to her mouth in thought looking over his head at Lydia begging for help with this kind of persuasion. Lydia shrugged her shoulders and shook her head because his flirting was way beyond her knowledge. When Niece looked back at Jack more lyrics to the song about _'paralyzing eyes,'_ came to mind. Well, Jack sure had those kind of eyes and she had the feeling he knew exactly what they were doing to her. Not being one to back down from a challenge, she took a deep breath, to gain some composure back, looked him straight in the eye again facing the challenge and said slowly, "Ummmm…. No, I don't think that's a good idea."

He grinned at her never losing eye contact, more lyrics about, _'go to jello every time you smile.'_ She thought as he questioned, "Don't you want to know why I want to try it?"

Niece looked away gathered up her courage then looked quickly back at his eyes. _'Oh big mistake,'_ she thought but didn't miss a beat as she asked, "Why?" Even though she had a very good idea what was coming.

He said, "Curiosity, I want to know what it feels like." And he walked towards her reaching up to put his hand on her leg his fingers lightly massaging. _'More lyrics?_' she thought about '_him not getting too close or she would melt down from the heat.'_ So she kneed Whitney over and backed her up with her legs her hands never leaving the saddle or moving the reins so he wouldn't see that she was trying to break contact with him. Whitney kept backing up and he kept coming until he had them backed against the arena fence. The game continued as Niece turned Whitney with her legs and continued backing. Too late she remembered the corner of the arena just as Whitney was backed into it and they were pinned about a foot away from the side fence.

Niece didn't like to lose at anything, she knew she wasn't very good at flirting or particularly good or fast with comebacks either, but she was good at contests and winning. When she looked up and saw that everyone else within eyesight of the exchange was smiling and snickering behind their hands or looking some where else trying not to laugh, she got her dander up. Here yes narrowed, she was a fast learner so she played along as he took her hand and started to slowly pull her off Whitney's back. Whitney sidestepped the last step away from Niece and Jack caught Niece against him putting one arm behind her back to slowly slide her down his chest until her feet hit the ground never letting her have the chance to look away.

The heat radiating from him was almost unbearable. Niece thought, _'Oh my dear, this is not what I expected. What am I getting myself into and is it too late to get out?'_

A/N: Ok, this is the part where I woke up from my dream. I know this first chapter is kind of slow, but wanted to give the reader some background along with the dream part. I hope you enjoyed reading it this far. I do have an idea of where the story is going to go from here and will add chapters as I get the chance.


	2. Second Style of Persuasion

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 2

"Well?" He asked, "Change your mind yet?"

"No, you will have to persuade me better than that," she replied not letting him know that he had indeed gotten to her. She pushed her hands against his chest for effect which only made him tighten his arm behind her back. They both heard the uh ohs, and bets on if she would be persuaded or not from those watching the exchange and he turned enough to grin crookedly at his audience showing his gold teeth. She rolled her eyes and tried to wiggle away from the intense heat of the body contact. His look changed from playful to serious as his attention was brought back to her at her struggles. It was her turn to smile and raise her eyebrows which caused him to tighten his arm around her back even more pressing her body even closer to his so she could hardly breathe and felt every inch of his hard muscular body. He kept the half crooked grin on his face and raised his other hand to the side of her face.

"Seems they agree with you," he said as he moved his head closer to whisper in her ear. "How about this then?" As he tickled her ear with his breath barely brushing his lips along her ear and then down the side of her neck to her cheek to stop his assault a breath away from her parted lips. His fingers played in her hair as they caressed the other side of her face. He felt her breath catch and the shiver that ran down her spine. His grin widened at what he thought was her surrender as she relaxed. Then suddenly she stiffened and tried to slip out from under his arm almost escaping his hold. He quickly caught her backing her into the fence in front of Whitney so she couldn't get away.

"That's not fair," she gasped as the air left her lungs from hitting the fence hard. She turned her head away pushing again unsuccessfully at his hard unyielding chest.

"Pirates don't play fair, and they get what they want," he lowered his lips to touch the side of her mouth again as he spoke the words. When she tried to turn her head one way and then the other he captured her lips with his. They were soft and feather light at first and then hard and demanding as she refused to open for him. But she couldn't resist and gave into his kiss which he deepened until she had been thoroughly kissed. He kept the kiss going until he felt her turn weak in his arms and then slowly pulled apart from her opening his eyes waiting for her to open hers. When her eyes popped open in shocked surprise he said one simple word.

"Persuaded?"

She nodded her head, "Yes."

He slowly let her go and took the reins to Whitney and mounted up as she made a point of wiping her mouth just to irritate him but he just laughed. Norrington had asked to try jousting on Buzzard and Lydia had already agreed that he could. But instead of going to get lances the two men rode the horses out of the arena towards the river where the pirate camp was.

"Hey, where are you going with our horses?" Niece yelled as she took off after them at a run.

Gibbs and Barbossa blocked her and at the same time said, "You want to go on an adventure?"

"What are you talking about? This is getting stranger by the moment and I am not sure I like it," Niece said angrily. Lydia walked up and agreed.

"Do you like tales of adventure?" Gibbs asked again as Niece tried to go around him but Barbossa moved in front of her, so she tried to go the other way and he stepped in front of her again.

Niece glared at him as she growled, "What are you a cutting horse?"

He just laughed what Niece thought was a typical Barbossa laugh but succeeded in keeping her from following the men on their horses.

"Um… tales… of adventure… Okay, I'll bite since I have no choice at the moment. I supposed it depends on the tale if I like adventures or not," Niece glared at him shrugging her shoulders then gestured with her hands, 'what?'

"Let's walk and talk. She can come along too since the other horse is hers I presume," Gibbs nodded towards Lydia.

"Start talking before I lose my temper," Niece warned.

As Lydia added, "You don't want to go there. I have seen her lose her temper."

"Well, you see it's like this. Capt'n Jack and Norrington had to learn sword fighting from horseback for one of the sequels. It got cut out, but anyway, it was a scene where the British soldiers had caught The Pearl grounded for repairs near Port Royal in a hidden cove and had ridden down to capture Captain Jack and his crew. The scene was set up like this. Norrington did what he thought was best for his interests by sneaking off to the town to tell the soldiers that The Pearl with her crew were grounded and that they should be able to easily capture the whole crew with a surprise attack. Norrington was to lead them to where they were and decided that on horseback would be the fastest way. The Cap'n he saw them coming and warned the others as he managed to knock one of the soldiers off his horse and _commandeered_ it to sword fight on horseback. After Barbossa here saw that Norrington had switched sides he shouted to the Cap'n and that started a fight from horseback between the Cap'n and Norrington while the rest of the crew fought on and off the ship….."

"Mr. Gibbs, you have a habit of embellishing a story. I don't see where this is going, so get to the point. Remember that place Lydia told you that you didn't want to go? Well, it is getting closer," Niece interrupted.

"Be patient you need to know the whole story," Gibbs said.

"Patience isn't one of her virtues either," Lydia smirked.

"Well then let me finish. They had always used wooden swords until they mastered the tecnique. There was one scene where they rode at each other and their swords clash together kind of like jousting. Then they switched to metal swords and we were shooting the scene. Well, as their swords clashed there was a blinding light and when we could see again we were not where we had been," Gibbs stopped for effect.

"And exactly where were you?" Lydia looked unbelieving at them.

"Yeah, what she said," Niece raised her eyebrows and hooked a thumb over her shoulder at Lydia.

"We were actually there," Gibbs shut his eyes and scrunched up his face.

"There…. Where?" Niece frowned, shrugging her shoulders. She had an idea what he was going to say, but asked anyway.

"In that time, back then, fighting in a real battle. _Jack_ and Norrington must have found a hole in time or something," Barbossa took over and supplied the information.

Niece noticed that Barbossa refused to put 'captain' in front of Jack's name and smiled at that.

"Yeeeeeah….Okay," Niece looked at Lydia and then back at Barbossa and Gibbs as the latter shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head.

"And the reason for them taking our horses is?" Lydia shook her head.

"To get back to the time and place of shooting the scene," Gibbs supplied the answer.

"This is too weird. You are back in the present time. You are here, how did you get here?" Niece stated.

"Yes, we are but every time we come back we come back we are not where we are supposed to be," Barbossa explained.

"Barbossa, Gibbs…. You expect us to believe this totally unbelievable story? That you have been traveling back and forth in time? Okay where are the cameras? Is this some kind of joke or something?" Niece looked around for hiding places that cameras might be.

"It is true, unbelievable but true," Gibbs said.

"Saying its true, and I am not saying it is mind you, but saying it is. Fact is I am still looking for cameras hiding some where. Why didn't you just go to where ever it was you were filming and there you go. All back to normal," Niece said.

"We tried that and it is like there is a parallel, we are there but we aren't," Gibbs gestured with his hands.

"Dude, you have a problem so how do you solve it?" Lydia commented.

"Lydia is more gullible than I am. And where do our horses come in? I still do not believe you and think that this is some kind of joke," Niece confirmed she hadn't changed her mind, then thought out loud, "Come to think on it though, no one else is paying attention to the fact that you are the real actors. That is puzzling. She is Lydia by the way and you can call me Niece."

"Hi, Lydia and Niece, thanks for the loan of your horses. Niece?" Barbossa grinned amused.

"Long story, just Niece will do," Niece shook her head.

"Okay, Just Niece, they don't see us for who we really are," Barbossa gestured.

"No Niece, not Just Niece," Niece grunted.

"Okay, No Niece," Barbossa laughed, "Only some people see us for who we really are, like you two and Trevor. We don't know why it happens. Sometimes no one recognizes us each time we go and come back. The way we figure it is that everyone else sees us as the people who always do the re-enactments."

"Never mind go back to Just Niece please," Niece put up her hand for him to stop.

"Okay, it will be just my little pet name for you, Just Niece," Barbossa put his hand to the side of her face. She flinched away as a flash back to Jack's kiss came to her mind. Niece rolled her eyes at the 'Just Niece' comment and thought he sounded a lot like his character when he said it that way.

"We are going back again and need the speed of your horses to get us back there. Your horses will stay in this time as will you. You can come with us if you like and if you do you will also stay in this time. Come and see for yourself, you will be the first that have come back with us," Gibbs offered.

"If you don't then you will have to stay at least 50 yards away. That seems to be the area that includes who goes back," Barbossa said matter of factly.

"Couple of questions before I say I will take the bait if this is real and isn't a joke. Does it hurt or anything like that? I am a big chicken and not into pain. What if we get stuck back there? And how many times have you done this and not come back to the right place in time? I would like to come back to the right place in time," Niece counted off the questions on her fingers.

"No hurting. We have never gotten stuck. This is the third time and we think we have it figured out how to get back," Barbossa counted off the answers on his fingers.

"You up for it?" Niece asked Lydia and Lydia nodded. "All right, what do we have to do?"

"Don't take anything back from this time period, like cell phones, sunglasses or watches. Rings are all right, pirates have rings and such. Change your clothes in the trailer, Tia Dalma and Elizabeth will take you and show you where. Trevor said you sword fight as knights, you will need that skill when you go back. It is a lot easier with us because the swords are lighter. You do need to know that you may have to fight so get some swords and a pistol or two. Trevor has agreed to stay behind to see to things here for you while you are gone, so don't worry. After that it is an adventure," Barbossa informed them.

"Well, just remember that pain thing if we have to fight. You better watch my back. On second thought maybe Will or Norrington should watch my back. The director said they were supposed to be the best sword fighters and you are some where in the middle. Just don't let Jack watch my back. He is lucky but not what I would call good at sword fighting," Niece warned.

Barbossa smiled his famous Barbossa smile and simply said, "Agreed."

He offered his hand to her. She looked at his hand, slowly shook her head like 'what was she getting herself into' and then shook his hand replying, "Agreed."


	3. Third Style of Persuasion

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 3

The women went into the trailer to look for suitable clothes. Lydia was picking through clothing a smirk on her face. "So what was it like?" She asked Niece.

"What was what like?" Niece knew exactly what she was referring to but tried to ignore the question.

"Don't give me that, you know what I mean," Lydia nudged her in the side.

Niece gave her a sideways glance and sighed giving up by saying, "He is a very….ah….persuasive kisser."

"That he is and a very good kisser," Elizabeth added smiling at Niece when she rolled her eyes.

Lydia continued going trough the clothes until she pulled out a fancy dress complete with a corset, "Hey, this would look great on you."

Niece made a snorting noise, "It would be a cold day in a hot place before I would put a dress on much less a corset. If you are trying to be funny it isn't working." But Tia and Elizabeth laughed.

"Really, where we are going you want to dress in more pirate looking and practical clothes," Elizabeth smiled.

Niece didn't want to look like some one from this time trying to look like a pirate so didn't pick the typical black pants and white shirt, even though black was her favorite color. She chose some dark brown pants and a rust colored shirt with a black vest, boots and coat. Lydia picked similar looking clothes. They both got swords, pistols and belts. Just as they got finished they heard a commotion outside, laughing and yelling. Niece recognized just exactly what the noise was and she was the first to hit the door. The other women right on her heels. She couldn't help but smile and covered her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing out loud.

Jack was yelling, "_Ahhhhhh! _bugger, bugger, _ouch,_ bugger, you mangy beast stop." With his arms flailing at branches trying to push them out of the way as Whitney ran him under low branches of fir trees trying to knock him off her back. Norrington was laughing so hard he was about to fall off Buzzard as was Pintel, Ragetti, Gibbs and the others. Marty and Barbossa were yelling instructions and trying to get in front of Whitney to stop her playful run.

Niece walked down to the crowd and giggled to the people closest to her, "I have to stop this or I am going to pee my pants." And she yelled in a stern voice, "Whitney, _WHOA!"_ Whitney stopped very fast and put her head down as Jack went sailing over her head yelling the whole way until the breath was knocked out of him when he hit the ground with a 'whoof' sound as the air left his lungs.

Niece walked over and raised one eyebrow as she looked down on him, "I told you I didn't think it was a good idea."

He looked like a fish out of water and tried to answer but all he could do was mouth the words, _'not good'_ so Niece reached down and took a hold on his belt at the waist and pulled it away from his stomach, "Clearly you have never been thrown that hard before," she couldn't resist saying as she laughed.

He took in great gulps of air and gasped," That mangy beast did that on purpose. You better get a hold of her until I get over thinking of all the things I could do to get back at her," his dark chocolate brown eyes warned her as his voice came back to him.

"She sure did. Horse's sense when and what they can get away with. And she is not a mangy beast just a very smart horse, smarted than her rider. So you can get those thoughts out of your head," Niece shot back angrily at him. Then turned her head and covered her mouth to hide a giggle as she thought that his eyes and Whitney were the same dark chocolate brown color.

"She smells funny," he pouted like a little kid. Niece just stared at him while everyone else except Marty looked any where else but at him.

"Is that all you can come up with? She smells like a horse, what did you expect? She's _is_ a horse. Besides horses have personalities just like we do and yours and hers are too much alike. She has your number," Marty snorted as he came up, trying not to snicker too much. He then held out his hand to Niece, "I'm Marty."

The others had come up by then and Jack had gotten up off the ground and dusted himself off. Barbossa introduced everyone making sure that when he introduced Niece that he said her name was 'Just Niece." After much discussion about that Jack and Norrington had to be the ones to ride the horses. Niece turned to Norrington, "How well do you ride?"

"Unfortunately, not much better than he does," he gestured to Jack with his head.

"Well, Whitney has his number like Marty said and she doesn't yours. A quick lesson, if you get into trouble she will stop if you say 'Whoa' and you have a deeper and more authorative sounding voice. If you don't try you are never going to get back to where you want to be," Niece shrugged her gaze switching between the two of them, "What do you want to do?"

Jack's eyes again found her and bored into her as he interrupted, "I have a deep voice and it has gotten me by just fine."

"I am sure it has and I meant no offense by the comment, but facts are facts Norrington's voice is deeper, he is bigger and can handle her if he doesn't get all macho and does as I say," Niece walked up to look him as much in the eye as her five foot two height would allow her ice blue eyes challenging him to say one more word and she would be all over him like a duck on a bug.

"That other horse is _huge_," Jack commented quietly as he sized up Buzzard. "It's farther to the ground. And with a name like Buzzard that would be _not good."_

"Oh for cripes sake, are you the athletic, can do a lot of your stunts by yourself person or not? Buzzard is just a big baby. Do you want to be known as the guy who let a blonde female be more athletic than you by being able to ride him?" Niece smiled mockingly.

"What?" he said in a higher pitched voice, and then repeated it in a deeper voice at Niece's raised eyebrows.

Marty stepped in between them and said, "Being a stunt man I can tell you, he may be bigger but he is calmer and would be easier to ride."

"As for the name, everyone else just calls him Buzz, Buzzard is just my nickname for him because his attitude reminds me of that buzzard in the cartoons that always says, 'Which way did he go George? Which way did he go?' He is not very smart. Besides being farther to the ground, maybe you would stay on this time," Niece badgered him as he shot her another warning glance over Marty's head, putting his hands in fists, and then got a hold of himself finally leaning his head against the nearest tree.

Niece turned to Norrington, "You willing to try?" Then she turned to Marty, "Will you help Lydia with him? He isn't going to listen to me," She indicated with her head to Jack. Marty nodded his head and turned to help.

Norrington put his hand on Niece's arm and walked them towards Whitney, "At your command and service My Lady, I will follow your advice since you know the horse better than I."

"Cut the crap and you can drop the formalities," Niece scoffed as she removed his hand from her arm with her thumb and forefinger. "I am perfectly capable of walking on my own."

"Ah, a challenge?" Norrington smiled a beautiful smile as he hunched over to look into her ice blue eyes with his cat green eyes.


	4. Leverage

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 4

"A….challenge? Ummmm….Oh…. no certainly not," Niece stumbled through the words. Hating that she could get apprehensive when as good looking a man as he was suggested something like that. That was why she covered herself with a self assured _'leave me alone'_ attitude. It worked for her as she usually just sat back and people watched others go through the rituals that males and females go through when they are attracted to someone else.

"Hm, we will see 'Just Niece," He teased.

"Funny, drop the 'Just' Barbossa is the only one allowed to call me that and that is only because he isn't going to stop doing it," Niece put her hands on her hips and stretched as tall as she could to look him back in the eye. She wondered if it was a mistake when he held her gaze. She mentally shook herself when the words to Shania's song about the _'paralyzing eyes'_ came back to haunt her. She looked away first and then glared at his hearty laugh when she did. She thought, _'I have to stop doing that. I get sucked in every time I look into their damn eyes!'_

"All right, Niece where do we begin after I get on Whitney?" Norrington bowed towards the horse in question capturing her gaze again.

"Stop that," she demanded.

"So sorry, I didn't realize I was doing anything," he grinned his cat green eyes sparkling.

"Yes, you do," she snapped.

"Pray tell what is it that you think I am doing?" He walked closer to her then bent over to her height and looked her in the eyes again.

"That… Right there… That thing with your eyes," she stuttered pointing at his eyes.

"Oh that, well you will just have to get used to that," he laughed still bent over looking into her eyes.

"Aghhhh," she stomped her foot as she looked away first because she was also getting warm and could feel a blush coming on. She didn't want him to see that. Before she could speak again Barbossa rescued her from farther scrutiny from those eyes as he walked up to them.

Barbossa gave them a look before called everyone together giving them instructions to keep using their character names so they wouldn't slip after they were back in time. He also explained that since they knew the script and Niece and Lydia didn't that they were to just play along when they were with other characters that weren't here now. He reminded them to try not to use terms or speech that weren't used back then, but to make it easier on the two women that they could have a more educated speech.

Niece gave Norrington instructions and he followed them while Jack did likewise before they practiced a few times together until they had it the way they needed to make sure it would send them back. Everyone else took places on and off the ship in different kinds of fights of their own to make it as close to the way it had been the last time they had been transported in time.

Barbossa stopped next to Niece and Lydia on his way towards the ship that was anchored on the river, "Some words of advice 'Just Niece' remember what Jack said about 'you can always _trust_ a dishonest man to be dishonest, it's the honest ones that you have to watch out for.'" Niece wondered what he was talking about as he walked off towards the ship, but knew she would remember the advice if that need came up.

Niece and Lydia had their backs to one another and were crossing blades with Pintel and Ragetti. They were all within the circle as Norrington on Whitney and Jack on Buzzard came running towards each other yelling swords ready to clash. When the swords met there was a loud crackling noise like before then sparks of flying metal and a blinding bluish purple light like the flash of a camera. The light took a long time to fade and it took longer for their sight to come back.

When it did Niece and Lydia found themselves not in the pirate camp next to the river in the Pacific Northwest surrounded by mountains, Douglas fir and pine trees in the meadow where the Faire was. Instead they were on a beach with palm trees and tropical plants with The Pearl at their backs in a hidden cove that opened to the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. There were soldiers, pirates and horses every where it seemed like. Everyone else that had already been there was looking around with their swords, pistols or cutlasses at their sides. As soon as they could see their opponents in front of them they took up fighting again. Niece and Lydia were now crossing blades with two soldiers instead of Pintel and Ragetti. Pintel and Ragetti were right next to them fighting two more soldiers of there own.

The soldier fighting with Niece let his guard down and she flicked the tip of her sword under his nose as he backed up, "You are a woman."

"Aye," she wiggled the tip under his nose again.

"I can't fight a woman," he said as he turned to scurry away.

'_Well that was easy,'_ Niece thought.

Pintel bumped into her back and said over his shoulder, "Ye should 'ave run 'im through."

"You mean this is real? There could be pain. Damn, Barbossa for the liar he is!" Niece asked incredulous.

"Aye," Pintel answered as he covered her back. "Ye get stuck and ye gonna be bleedin'."

'_Just great,' _Niece thought as she looked to Lydia and saw that she was doing all right with Ragetti and Gibbs doing some fairly good swordsmanship protecting her back.

She was brought back to her own problem when another soldier came at her and she took up the fight with him. He was good, she gave him that. He had her more on the defensive than the offensive. He was not concerned with the fact she was a woman like the last soldier had been. She mentally thanked her teachers for the knight re-enactments that she was as good with a sword as she was right now. That was a split second before she let the soldier get passed her guard enough to nick her high on her chest just below her neck where her shirt was left open in a 'V'.

She winced and clamped her teeth as she fought against the sting and burning of the wound. She could feel the blood trickling down her chest but was also mad at herself for being distracted enough to let him get past her guard. She concentrated harder and parried his every thrust thinking she needed to get on the offensive instead of the defensive end of this fight. They had been fighting for more than several minutes. It had been a long time since morning when they had to do a lot of heavy work to get set up for the Faire, and then the practicing in the afternoon. Even in her good athletic condition she was starting to tire a bit.

Behind the soldier some distance off she saw Whitney and Buzzard milling around with a few other horses where the beach turned into foliage. She also got a glimpse of Jack and Norrington now off the horses on the ground fighting a ways behind the soldier but in front of where the horses were. Jack seemed to be doing all right one on one with Norrington, but Norrington had a longer reach and Jack had to use every trick he knew to fight him.

Barbossa was no where to be seen but she could hear his, "Arrrr," behind her every once in a while. Elizabeth and Will were also no where to be seen. She finally got an opening and felt the blade slip through his guard and into its mark. She cringed as she felt the blade cut through the soft tissue of his shoulder until it hit bone and saw the blood pour from the wound. She watched the soldier as he dropped his sword and clamped his other hand over the wound then half sat and half fell to the ground. She watched to see how much damage she has done. She couldn't think about it now, she would think about it later.

She only got a short breather before another soldier took his place. She slashed his arm right away so she could hope for a few more seconds for her adrenaline to kick in to keep her going. This soldier stumbled away holding his bloody arm as blood gushed around his fingers. She took some deep breaths as she looked around to see how Lydia was doing and saw she was doing fine. She looked to her own wound and saw there was quite a bit of blood soaked into her shirt, but that the bleeding seemed to be slowing. She felt the wound to see how long and how deep it was but it didn't seem to be that bad, it was just bleeding so much because her heart was beating fast because of the activity from the sword play.

As she was looking around to make sure another soldier wasn't hot on the heels of the last one her gaze took her to where Jack and Norrington had been. They were no longer there and were no longer fighting. Jack had moved closer to The Pearl only engaging anyone who tried to stop him from making it to the ship as Norrington ran for the horses.

She could still feel Pintel at her back as he said over his shoulder again, "Get ye scurvy hide back to The Pearl, quick. Follow the Cap'n."

"Why? You need me here," she grunted as another soldier took up the fight with her.

Barbossa came up then and pushed her behind him and took over fighting her soldier as he growled, "Firstly Missy, Pintel here saw how Norrington was watching ye _before_ as did I with me own eyes. Secondly, we all heard that he thought ye were a bit feisty with Jack and he was impressed. Thirdly, he thinks Jack might be smitten with ye. If that be the truth of it, then if he gets his hands on ye he could use ye as leverage against Jack. And lastly, we also heard that he thought ye was challenging him, a man of Norrington's character isn't goin' to let that pass. As we speak he is lookin' fer ye."

"Oh?... Oh, the words of advice," and she made the mistake of turning to see that in fact Norrington had just spotted her instead of running for The Pearl like she should have. She thought, _for someone who didn't ride all that well before he sure knew what he was doing now_, as he kicked Whitney into a run heading straight for her.

"Aye, the words of advice. Go Missy," Barbossa yelled as he ran the soldier completely through that he was fighting then turned the sword before he pulled it out and turned to meet Norrington charging at them on Whitney.

"Please don't hurt my horse," Niece pleaded as she took off running for the gangplank to The Pearl. She was fast but knew there was way too much space between her and The Pearl for her to outrun her horse to the gangplank. But she might be able to out maneuver her by dodging in and out around people and the supplies to refit The Pearl.

She yelled at Elizabeth and Will as she passed them, "If Norrington catches me find out where I am and get me out."

"I promise," Will yelled back.

Niece pulled a couple of empty rum barrels over, knocked some crates in the path behind her and continued running not looking back as she heard the thundering hoof beats getting nearer to her. She heard Whitney jump over the obstacles in her path and felt that she was going to make it to The Pearl and could hide in safety.

But that didn't happen, just as she was reaching her goal she felt an arm encircling her waist and she was hauled off the ground and dumped face down across the saddle. Her hips and chest came into contact with some very masculine and well muscled thighs. She squealed as she felt a hand slap her rump and cursed Whitney for being such a short horse and he such a tall man with long arms.

She repeatedly hit his thigh and tried to wiggle enough for her to push off and escape but one of those strong arms held her in place against his thighs and lap. The latter which she was much too aware of in her opinion. _'What was she thinking? Probably what every other red blooded woman would think given the same circumstances._' So she opened her mouth and clamped down as hard as she could on his leg hoping to get him to turn loose of her enough so she could slide off.

But instead she received a much harder slap to her posterior that she was sure was going to leave a bruise as Norrington growled, "None of that you're acting too rash and some what like a _pirate wench_. If that is how you want to be treated, it can be arranged."


	5. Hiding the Leverage

Sorry this chapter was so long in coming. I have just been very busy with work and other things lately. Thanks for the reviews, I am glad that having the author's…. well friends in it that people are still interested in reading it. I also kind of stay away from reading stories that have the author in them.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 5

Niece stopped biting and struggling at Norrington's words. A _pirate wench_? What was he thinking? She knew what he was thinking and had to try and figure and way out of it. The bouncing of the saddle on her stomach and her head hanging down was making her a little queasy, so she asked, "Could I please sit up-right?"

"I don't know that I can entirely trust you not to do something more rash than you already have," Norrington kept Whitney at a fast canter. He got her sword and pistols and tucked them behind him. They were going up a hill but still in sight of the ship. Norrington did glance back as they rounded a corner to see that no one was following them.

"I promise, I will be good. If you don't allow me to sit up I am afraid I am going to ruin your nice new uniform," she grunted between jolts from Whitney's hooves hitting the ground. All of a sudden realizing that he wasn't in the tattered scruffy uniform that he had been in when they were at the faire.

"I am afraid I cannot do that, it could be just a ploy to get away," Norrington scoffed.

"Well, I see that your confidence is back with the clothes change. You might regret it soon," she moaned as she could feel the bile rise into her throat.

"No, and if you don't be quiet, I will be forced to do something _you_ will regret," He warned.

Niece lay quietly trying to turn enough so her side instead of her stomach took the pounding. She managed to raise her head so she could see that they had continued into more dense foliage and trees. The Pearl was out of sight. So she tried one last time pleading to his ego, "Commodore Norrington, I am begging you to let me sit up. I am going to be sick."

"_Enough_! I have been taken in by female trickery before and will not be again. Do not think that you can get your way by using my title," he brought his hand down hard on her posterior. At the same time his hand struck, she lost her precarious hold on the contents of her stomach. She pushed her hands against Whitney's side and straightened her arms so she wouldn't throw up on her horse. She was also afraid of what Norrington might do to her if she threw up on him. She breathed a sigh of relief as neither one was affected by her digestive upheaval.

"Oh good god, you were telling the truth," Norrington sighed exasperated as he told Whitney to 'Whoa.'

Niece was still too green around the gills to answer with anything other than a groan. When the weight of his hand left her back she tried to slide off the horse. Norrington had other ideas and slid his arm under her and around her ribcage. He more than gently lifted her weak body up so she could swing a leg over Whitney's neck and settle in the saddle in front of him. Her head lolled back on his shoulder as she groaned again.

She had the distinct feeling of the warmth from his arm touching the under side of her breasts. Her eyes flew open, and then narrowed at the same time. She pushed his arm down to her stomach with both hands.

"That is entirely too familiar _Mister_ Norrington," she stated before she comprehended that she was sitting in his lap. She was aware that every inch of her backside and legs was in direct contact with his chest, lap and legs. She felt parts of his body that she would rather not be feeling. So she took a hold on his arm with both hands and held it at her stomach, trying not to pay attention to the other.

He said nothing as he tightened his hold on her and kicked Whitney into and lope again. She knew the rhythm of Whitney's gait was agony for him when he slowed her to a walk. He turned onto a small path that led up another steep hill before saying, "We are close enough to where we are going that they will not catch us."

She could partially see some kind of building through the trees on the over grown path. They came around the last corner and the house was in front of them. It was a big beautifully kept house. Maybe not quite a mansion but close enough. As Norrington pulled up in front of it, the door opened and a servant came out.

"Get Beckett and tell him to bring two soldiers that can be trusted to keep their mouths shut," Norrington ordered.

The servant called for another servant and gave him instructions to go to town and get Beckett. Another servant came from the side of the house to hold the reins to Whitney while Norrington dismounted and pulled Niece with him off the horse. She started to pull away from him, but he kept his arm around her waist and half drug half carried her up the steps and into the entry way. He was unbuckling her belts and throwing them to the side as she fought him and slapped at his hand.

"What are you doing? This is uncalled for," she yelled.

"It is not what your thinking," her growled as her pulled her along.

She thought she better make mental note of her surroundings in case she needed it for later. She saw doors on the right and left, the doors on the right were open and led to what looked like a study or office of some kind. Inside the other doors was a long dinning table and beyond that she could see a kitchen. Norrington didn't hesitate as he headed for the staircase straight ahead of them. He took the stairs two at a time.

The stairs came to a landing with more stairs that led both to the right and left to balconies with two doors on each side. He took the stairs to the left. Going to the last door he opened it and pulled her in after him. He slammed the door shut as he let her go.

Niece went immediately to the window but stopped short when she looked out. Not only was it two stories up but it opened out to the steep hill that fell away to the road far below. She could see into town and the sea beyond. She sighed as she saw the Black Pearl out to sea with no ship in pursuit. She stepped in between Norrington and the window more to hide The Pearls escape.

Reading her thoughts, Norrington smiled, "I am smarter than that Niece. There is no way for you to get out of this room except through the door. Which I will lock and post a guard outside of."

She glared at him stomping her foot, her hands on her hips, then spun back to the window muttering, "Agggh, men and their damnable pride and revenge."

"I plan on getting Sparrow one way or another. As I have said before. One or two good deeds cannot make up for a lifetime of wickedness. I had him and lost him, he cost me my commission, ship and crew. Revenge? Yes, you could say that. Even getting my commission back after giving the heart of Davy Jones to Beckett didn't erase all that I lost because of Jack Sparrow. Now that I have you he should be easy to catch. And I have one more plan to put into motion," he said through his nose.

She snorted continuing to look out the window watching The Pearl getting smaller in the distance. She hoped that Lydia was safely on the ship.

"So you think he has an interest in me now. How blind can you be? He only kissed me to persuade me to get all of you back here, so you can get back where you belong. That is all there was to it. You saw how we didn't exactly get along all that well after he got what he wanted," she waved her hand at him over her shoulder continuing to look out the window.

"I am not blind that is exactly why he did it. Don't give yours airs. You aren't that pretty to attract him that way," he smiled a fake smile as he said that.

She turned her mouth dropping open as she exhaled noisily. She could think of nothing bad enough to say to him, so said, "Well, that is just plain rude and mean. I thought better of you, especially since your comments before we got here. And I felt your reaction to me when I was sitting in your damn lap!"

"The latter was just a reaction to a female body, I assure you. The former was only to persuade you to get what I wanted," he said no emotion what so ever in his voice or on his face.

"Again with the insults, _Mister_ Norrington? You have made your point. Get on with what ever it is you are planning, but it won't work. _Captain_ Sparrow will never come for me if what you say is true," she stared him right in the eye completely furious with his attitude and comments.

He smiled slightly, "Oh he will come. He does have a good streak…. Or should I say he does from time to time have an attack of conscious, even if he doesn't realize it. He will come looking for you if only for that reason. But for the time being, by your leave, Miss," he bowed before he opened the door and backed out. She heard the lock click but tried it anyway to be sure.

She went back to the window and opened it looking down. It was at least twenty-five feet down the way the ground broke away from the house. She would break her neck if she dropped from the window. There was no way she could keep her feet as steep as the hill was. She looked to the right and left. Nothing, no ledge or hand hold any where. She looked up, again nothing. She looked around the room to see what she might use to knot together to use as a rope. Now she knew the reason for him taking her belts off. Damn, he didn't even have anything on the bed except for one blanket. There was nothing in the closet either and no rugs on the floor. As she passed the fireplace she heard voices. She went back to the fireplace and knelt down listening.

She could only catch bits and pieces of what was being said, but knew the other voice belonged to Beckett. Norrington and Beckett were arguing about her. Beckett wanted to turn her lose and then have her followed and Norrington disagreed that she was too smart for that and could get away. Norrington said something about a plan to ensure that Jack would come for her. Beckett said he wanted to rid the seas of all pirates, not just Jack Sparrow. The voices faded and she couldn't hear anymore. They must have left where ever it was that they had been talking that was somehow connected to this fireplace.

She heard boot steps outside the door and then someone shuffle around as they stood outside making no attempt to come into the room. It must be the guard Norrington had talked about.

She continued her search for something to climb down from the window with. She could use her clothing but didn't want to be running around naked. A flash of sunlight on metal from town caught her eye. She put her hand in her pocket and touched something metallic.

Remembering that she had decided that couldn't be without her favorite leather watch with a silver barrel racer on it she had put it in her pocket. She pulled it out and got an idea when the sun reflected in the silver. She checked the town for a familiar face that she could signal to. There was no one she recognized. She was disappointed when she remembered The Pearl fading in the distance earlier. Hopefully the crew was safe on board. It was up to her to find a way out of this mess. Deciding that she could wait until after dark and try knotting her clothing together, she lay down on the bed exhausted. She knew she could always find clothing in town to put on.

She was having a dream that she was kissing Travis and he was dressed as Norrington. She came out of the foggy haze of the dream and felt real lips on hers. She instinctively put her arms around his neck as she felt his teeth tantalizing her bottom lip. She gasped softly as she opened for him. His tongue slipped inside her mouth to duel with hers. She shivered and moaned into his mouth at the intensity of the kiss. As she came fully awake and realized where she was her eyes fluttered open she heard a gasp from someone by the open door. A servant ran away as she pushed Norrington off of her and spit on the floor.

"Bloody Hell! What was that for? I am certainly not up to your standards in looks," she yelled as she came off the bed to slap him across the face.

He smiled and rubbed his cheek. "That was the other plan I had. I must admit it turned out better than I had hoped with you dreaming of someone named Travis. It gave me the opportunity to take advantage of the situation for my own needs. By now my servant Robert will have already spread the gossip that he caught you and I together. Before morning it will be all over Port Royal. It will get to Sparrow soon and he will come back for you, if only to save your reputation. I assume you know he managed to escape me again today."

"Yes, I saw The Pearl leave. How do you know he was on it? And do you have any news of my friend Lydia?" She asked.

"I have received word he was on the ship as well as the crew. I have no news that your friend was on it. But if she stayed behind she won't be able to help you much by herself," he supplied the information.

Niece lowered her voice, "I thought you had to follow the script? Was this in the script?"

"It was left up to us to improvise some. Since we are in the middle of it, it can be changed. I want things to go my way for once," he shrugged as he walked to the door. "You will not be harmed in any way except your reputation here. I will send your food and drink up here. You will have anything else you need within reason. All you have to do is ask. But you will remain in this room until he comes for you."


	6. Her Style of Persuasion

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 6

Niece's eyes narrowed as she looked around the room. She spotted the pitcher that had held water for her use to clean the blood off her wound. As he turned momentarily toward the door she took two quiet cat-like steps to reach the pitcher. Damn, him for being tall enough to have to duck to go through the door. Her aim would have been perfect if he hadn't ducked. The pitcher hit the door jam behind where his head had been a second before. He spun grabbing her by the arms and putting her in a bear hug. He squeezed tight enough to get her attention.

"That isn't a very nice way to treat your host, now is it?" He smiled another one of those crooked half smiles as he looked into her eyes. She had an unnerving feeling come over her.

She glared back at his mesmerizing sea green eyes refusing to look away. She got closer to his face as she mocked, "My style of persuasion."

"Indeed?" He smiled again and lowered his mouth close to her ear to whisper, "Be careful of things you do not fully understand. You might find that you will not be able to deal with the consequences." He slowly traced around her wound then let her go when he felt her go still. She was trying to figure out his last words.

There was puzzled look on her face. Which he had wanted to see, so he bowed again and said, "By your leave, Miss." He backed out of the room closing the door behind him.

She stood for only a second after the door closed before she screamed, "Aggggh! Damnable men!" Picked up the chamber pot and hurled it at the door. She heard his laughter as he walked away from the door after the crash of the chamber pot.

She paced back and forth thinking of things that he could have meant by what he had said. All of the reasons she came up with lead to the thought that, '_he was attracted to her. But that couldn't be. He had said as much. She was plain and not pretty enough to attract even Jack Sparrow. And that had to mean he wasn't attracted to her either. He was doing this because he wanted to catch Jack Sparrow. But then why had he teased her after there was no one to witness it? Why had he traced her wound? Was it because he was letting her know that it could happen again? Maybe that was it. No, he wasn't that desperate to hurt her physically. That was good for her to know. Maybe….. No, it couldn't have anything to do with the script. No, she was wrong that couldn't be it. Could it?'_

Her head hurt from thinking so much and her wound ached too. She put both hands to her temples and rubbed them. She then rolled her stiff neck and shoulder. She absent mindedly walked to the window for what seemed like the hundredth time. She leaned against the window sill and watched the people down below going about their evening business. She straightened up and leaned out the window as she noticed two men and a woman that looked like they were being careful not to be noticed.

The one of the men was shorter and heavy set while the other was taller and very thin. The woman moved with a familiar swagger, her head held high, looking people in the eye. She knew that walk even if she didn't recognize her from this distance. It hit her as she looked back to the two men. Yes, she was sure that it was Pintel and Ragetti and that the woman was Lydia.

"Finally, " she whispered as she checked the location of the setting sun. She pulled out her watch and hoped that there was enough light in the setting sun to signal them. She tried for several minutes before Pintel put his hand up for the others to stop and said something over his shoulder to the others. They all casually looked around.

Niece thought, _'Come on Pintel. I know you saw it. Think of where the sun is and where the reflection would come from. Look up here.'_

She willed him to look up as the others were looking in the total wrong direction. She tried again to keep the reflection on Pintel holding the watch still. He was so far away that she couldn't see if she was hitting him with the reflection or just passing it over him.

He looked down at his chest and stared for a moment. His head slowly raised and searched the hill, stopping when his head was pointing directly at her. She raised and lowered her arm and he very slightly nodded that he had seen her. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Pintel said something aside to the others and Lydia nonchalantly looked up the hill also. Niece and Lydia had a kind of thumb to the side of the head salute. They had always done it to acknowledge each other in the jousting re-enactments. Lydia did that now. Niece acknowledged saluting her back. To anyone else it always looked like they were just rubbing their temple with their thumb.

Ragetti wasn't quite so composed and jumped up and down pointing and waving. Pintel hit him over the head with the hat he was wearing as a disguise. Ragetti looked ashamed and hung his head.

Niece put both hands over her eyes and slide them down her face as she stepped back in case anyone looked at Ragetti's antics. She stifled a giggled as she peeked out the window again. Pintel was talking to Lydia with Lydia looking at him. Lydia held up one finger, and then put both hands up in an 'I don't know' gesture. Lydia kept her attention on Pintel as he talked. Lydia put up two fingers then pointed to her wrist with a finger and made a circular motion.

Niece got the message. Someone would be there to help her in one or two hours after it got dark. She gave the thumbs up sign when Lydia looked up at her. She watched as a couple of soldiers were one street away but headed towards her friends. She pointed and made a 'get going' motion with her hands. Then did a perfect soldier walk across the window. The three hurried in the opposite direction. Niece felt a sudden feeling of loneliness come over her.

She came away from the window when she heard voices out in the hall. Norrington opened the door and entered the room carrying a tray with food and something to drink. She walked toward him as if she was stalking prey her eyes narrowed. "I see you don't trust anyone else to bring me my food."

"No, you could get ideas. I am too smart for that. Plus you like to throw things," he watched her warily as he set down the food.

She smiled over-sweetly at him as she walked around the table with the food. He followed her every move not taking his eyes off of her for a second. "I think I should leave you before you decide to try to do me bodily harm again." He bowed…..

"Don't! Don't even say it. I am sick of you being rudely polite when leaving the room. Just go! Get out!" She strode towards him with hands clinched at her sides. He smiled that crooked smile and backed away from her, raising his eyebrows in amusement.

He stopped at the door and said, "So you never wonder how the progress of your rescue by your latest friends is going?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," she stopped and looked away from him.

"Oh, I think you are well aware of what I am talking about. I would think you would be curious as to their where abouts," he mocked giving her a tight lipped smile as his green eyes flashed otherwise.

"Not in the least, you are just trying to torment me," it was her turn to smile as she walked up and ran a finger down his chest. "Paybacks," she whispered remembering the warnings about talking like the times. "So what is it that you so want me to ask you about?"

He nodded as he smiled back at her putting his thumb and forefinger on either side of her chin. He looked into her eyes and said, "I would think you would like to know that _Sparrow_ is back. Just like I said he would come. We caught some of his crew in town in disguises."

She stopped her hand for a split second before she brought it to his cheek, playing with his beard and moustache that he hadn't shaved off yet. "Since you want me to ask, who did you catch?" She tried not to let the concern come out in her voice as she continued her assault on his senses hoping that he would get tired of it and leave the room.

She could tell he was getting uncomfortable and continued the onslaught of her fingers. She trailed them to lightly trace his lips as she licked her own. His breath left him in a slight groan as he answered, "Just Mister Cotton, Marty and Mister Gibbs. There were others but they managed to escape. Be careful, my dear." And he bent down to brush his lips to her cheek, her lips and then her wound just before he left the room.

She put her hands on her hips and smiled secretively shaking her head back and forth. Then hugged herself and did a little dancing circle. Well, she thought, _'I won that little seductive battle. He was so uneasy that he left the room just like I planned. YES!'_ And she gave the sign for victory.

She ate the roasted chicken, bread, and apple that Norrington had brought for her. There was no sense in going hungry when she might need her strength when someone came for her. She took a sip of the wine he brought. She wrinkled her nose, never having a taste for it she drank some water instead. Just as she finished she heard something hit the window sill behind her.

She turned quick as a cat her hands up to defend her self and saw a grappling hook set in the window. She rushed to the window and leaned out just as Pintel was coming up the rope. Their heads bumped together as Pintel grabbed a hold on the window sill he hissed, "'Ello poppet, be careful of yur rescuer."

"Sorry, I didn't think you would be that quick getting up here," she apologized as she hooked her arm under his armpit and pulled him in.

"Well aren't ye just a strong little poppet?" he whispered with admiration. "Can ye climb down on the rope?"

"Yes, eight years as a firefighter, I have done it many times," she whispered as she put a leg out the window and slid over wrapping her foot in the rope and letting herself down rather quickly since Pintel was right behind her.

Arms came around her as her feet touched the bank. She turned around and hugged the man who had caught her, "Mister Gibbs? Norrington said you had been caught."

"Aye, Miss, me, Ol' Cotton and Marty got our selves in a bit of a bind. But the Cap'n and Will came fer us. They went on ahead as Pintel here wanted to be the one to rescue you. Pintel was so proud that he was the one to find out where they had taken you that the Cap'n let him," Gibbs chuckled as he whispered, "Miss, we need to hurry. We have some horses down on the road yours among them. We need to meet the Cap'n and the rest at The Pearl and it is all the way on the other side of the island." He pointed at the blood on her shirt, "Are you all right Miss? Norrington didn't do that to ye did he? If he did he will have me to deal with as well as the Cap'n and Barbossa."

"No, he didn't hurt me. It happened in the fight at The Pearl," she grabbed a hold on his arm as they half slid and half ran down the hill. She held onto Pintel on the other side of her. They came to the road and sure enough there were horses with Marty holding them waiting. She jumped on Whitney giving her a pat on the neck. They all walked slowly off. They waited until were out of sight enough to run the horses. They ran for a bit before slowing to give them a breather and then continued running.


	7. Feminine Wiles

A/N: This chapter kind of drops off in the middle but there is action at both ends. Seems some of my favorite reviewers would like a little more smooching. I don't know that I can work it the way one reviewer wants. I'll see what I can do.

About time to throw in a disclaimer again I guess. In case you don't want to go back to chapter 1.

**Disclaimer:** I have no claim to any of the characters except for Travis, Trevor, and Niece who are some favorite names of mine, and Whitney that is a real horse (which I do own.) I have permission from Lydia to use her name and Buzzard's (Lydia's horse.) The story just has Disney's characters in it and they own the rest.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 7

With the bright moonlight Gibbs, Pintel, Marty and Niece made good time on the well traveled road. Gibbs slowed as he saw a shadowy figure on horse back step from the cover of some dense vegetation. ""Ello Jack," Gibbs pulled up his horse next to the figure.

"Glad ta see ya got 'er," Jack nodded towards Niece. "This way," he motioned as he disappeared through a curtain of bougainvillea vines hanging from a mangrove tree.

Cotton, Ragetti, Lydia, and Will were waiting a few yards away in the shadows of some banyan trees with more tropical flowers wound around them. Niece could smell the flowers haunting fragrance and wondered what they were. They smelled kind of like honeysuckle but stronger. Lydia saw Niece as she came through the shadows into the moonlight. She pulled Buzzard over next to her in the moonlight and squealed, "Thank the heavens, they got you." Lydia edged Buzzard closer to wrap her arms around Niece as she squeezed her. "I was so worried that they wouldn't be able to get you out of that place."

"Lyd, you are choking me. Pintel was a hero for sure," Niece stated as she hugged her friend back and winked at Pintel.

"'Ey, I be th' one to rescue ya," Pintel put out his arms for a hug, but Niece just shook her head and smirked at him. "Can't blame a bloke fer tryin'" he shrugged sheepishly.

"What about me luv?" Jack gave Niece one of his sad puppy dog looks. "I be the one who was the brains behind it."

Niece pursed her lips together in thought and scratched her head. She closed one eye and then gave Jack a smirk that could match one of his best. She walked Whitney close enough for Jack's and her legs to touch.

Pintel's mouth fell open as he started to protest, Will and Gibbs herded all the others down a grass path covered from the moonlight by tall mangrove trees, heliconia, and elephant ears. Those were dotted with hibiscus, calabash, and orchids.

Niece leaned over to put her hand on the saddle in front of him. Her lips parted and she leaned close as he did the same. He parted his lips for a kiss. Her lips were close enough that he could feel the heat from them.

Her ice blue eyes were half closed inches from his chocolate brown eyes. She was gazing dreamily into his eyes. She whispered so close to his lips that he felt the brush of her lips as she spoke, "You did it because you have a good streak in you Jack Sparrow. If you want to admit it or not your conscious would not let you leave me. Not for Norrington to use as leverage against you at least. As Elizabeth once said, you're a good man Jack Sparrow."

He closed his mouth but held her gaze and grunted, "Let us just leave that bit of information between you, me and Elizabeth, savvy luv?"

"Savvy," she touched the side of his cheek as she sat back up in her saddle. She then smiled over her shoulder as she started to follow the others. _'I am getting the hang of how to use my feminine wiles down pretty good.'_ She smiled to herself.

"Bloody pirates, the both of 'em," Jack muttered as he kicked his horse into a lope after her. He heard her tinkling laughter float back to him. He gave her a smirk as he passed her and the others to take the lead. It took them another hour to get back to The Pearl.

Niece noticed that she'd been correct about the honeysuckle. When Jack chose a winding hibiscus, orchid, honeysuckle and tree lined path. She managed to pick a couple of the honeysuckle blossoms as they hung down over the path. Not one to be too female about flowers she tucked them gently into a pocket. She didn't notice Gibbs smile behind her.

It was hard to see at times when they were under an arch of living plants and the moonlight wasn't able to peek through. The path lead to another and another until Niece was so lost she made sure to keep an eye on Ragetti ahead of her. And when she couldn't see him she trusted Whitney to see for her. She gave Whitney her head with a loose rein so she could follow Ragetti's horse. Gibbs followed her bringing up the rear, _'So at least I won't get lost alone'_ she thought. They finally came to a copse that was surrounded on three sides by cliffs and steep terrain. Jack stopped.

"We have ta leave the horses hidden here. There be plenty of grass an' a stream that runs through the copse. The horses be safe here and it be far away from anyone to chance upon 'em. There be no way Norrington will be able to follow us since the paths we took be never used anymore," Jack explained throwing a leg over his horse's neck and slid to the ground.

Niece saw that the narrow opening to the copse was heavy with banyan and mangrove trees. There were also the flowers here that had been on the paths plus some Spanish dagger looking plant. The Spanish dagger and bougainvillea had thorns on them that would discourage the horses from the opening. They all tangled together to make a natural fence. From the outside it looked completely natural but when they took the horses in she saw it had been fortified on the inside. A fence of sorts made sure that the horses would stay within the copse. She also saw that there was plenty of shade and cover for the horses. There was a crude small three sided hut to put the saddles and bridles in. An oily tarplin to cover the saddles and bridles was in the hut.

As Niece unsaddled Whitney she felt the sting of tears behind her eyes. She knew it was safest for her horse here, but leaving her was going to be hard. She put her hand over her eyes and pressed hard to get the tears to stop. She refused to cry in front of the pirates. She patted Whitney on the neck as she slipped off the bridle. Whitney seemed to understand and nudged Niece with her nose as if to say, 'I will be fine Mom.' Niece startled at the arm that came around her shoulders to gently squeeze her. She looked and found it was Gibbs.

"I know Lass, but if we took 'er aboard The Pearl and anythin' happened. She wouldna' survive," Gibbs said.

"Yes, I know," Niece replied quietly as she turned and hugged Gibbs laying her head against his shoulder. "Thank you, Mister Gibbs for caring."

"Jack cares too Lass, but he be a pirate and this be best for his interests. Look at 'im standing there all forlorn. He be worryin' about both ye lasses," Gibbs stroked her hair as he held her, kissing the top of her head.

Niece could see that Will was holding Lydia while she quietly cried on his shoulder. Jack was being a pirate and indifferent. He leaned against a tree twirling one of the braids in his beard watching her. It was then she did notice the apologetic look on his face. She smiled slightly at him and nodded that she understood.

Jack nodded back at her and then pushed off the tree and commanded, "Time to be gettin' back ta The Pearl."

Again Jack led the way, the terrain dropped off steeply down to the cove where The Pearl was anchored. Jack silently offered Niece one of his arms so he could give her a hand down the hill. Gibbs offered his arm on her other side. Niece knew she could get down on her own, but took both pirates arms and let them help her. Will and Pintel did that same for Lydia. It didn't take them long to make it to the sandy beach and to the long boat that was waiting.

"How are we all going to fit in there?" Niece pointed to the long boat. "If you think I am going to take the risk of capsizing or sinking, you are sadly mistaken."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Either ye get in by yer self, or I will put ya in. He thought that threatening her would make her change her mind and get in the boat. He'd noticed she seemed to have an aversion to a man getting too close to her that way.

"It was a bit crowded, but was fine coming to get you," Lydia offered. "What's the problem?"

"No," Niece said as she put up her hands in front of her, shaking her head as she backed off. They others all looked at one another then Lydia and she frowned, shrugging her shoulders. Niece backed up faster and faster as Jack started towards her she turned and took to her heels.

She was fast and when Jack saw that he wasn't going to catch her very soon he yelled for the others to cut her off. Jack finally got a hold of the back of her shirt and she turned on him like a seasoned pirate. Will was the next to reach her. He tried getting a hold on one of her arms while Gibbs got a hold on the other. Jack had her around the waist and was attempting to throw her over his shoulder. She was thrashing, kicking, biting and trying to hit and claw all of them.

"Pintel, Ragetti get yer arses up here and help," Jack bellowed as she got a good kick in to his shin.

Pintel and Ragetti did as ordered but then there were too many of them to get a good hold on her. She was screaming and cursing the lot of them. She connected more than once with different parts of their bodies as she tripped, falling to the ground.

"Get her bloody legs," Will hollered. Pintel jumped on both of her legs, pinning them to the ground beneath him.

"You keep a hold on 'er bloody arm," Jack growled as she got loose and clobbered him upside the head.

Lydia came up and said, "I have never seen her act like this. I don't know what is wrong with her."

"She's bloody crazy," Will said, then added, "Hit her over the head Jack, or we are never going to get her in the boat."

Jack sighed, shook his head and pulled out his pistol. He looked her right in the eyes as he said, "I'm sorry luv." And he brought the pistol down on her head just hard enough to knock her out.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming!


	8. Different kind of attack

A/N: Sorry I have had to do some filling in lately on my story. So this chapter may be kind of slow for some of my reviewers at FF. My CB reviewers will like it though. Lots of description though and I know most of you like that. A couple of real funny parts to make up for the lack of action.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 8

Niece moaned and drifted in and out of a fog. She felt dizzy and opening her eyes didn't help. She was nauseous and on her back cradled in someone's lap. No, on second thought, she was in two someone's laps. She could make out Lydia's and Jack's faces above her. She thought, _'Oh noooooo, I am in a boat! On water! Without a life jacket! I am not dizzy! _ She tried to move as she felt panic welled up in her throat but mercifully blackness enveloped her again.

The next time she came to, she felt a hard shoulder in her side and stomach. Her legs and arms were dangling in thin air. She tried to focus her eyes on something to grab onto. But all she saw was space and water with a small boat bobbing far below her.

She shrieked as she reared back hooking her arm around the first thing she came to. Much like that of what a drowning person would do. That just happened to be someone's neck. She discovered the neck belonged to the person over whose shoulder she was thrown. Her fingers of the other hand found some dreadlocks to take hold of and she wrapped them around her hand hanging on for dear life. When her legs encountered something solid to wrap around she did just that around the body. She shrieked again.

"For the love of mother and child, Jack, she sounds like a banshee. Make her stop. I told you it was frightful bad luck to have a woman on board, much less three…. And uh, Tia," Gibbs shivered, crossed himself and reached down to grab a hold of her from the back.

Jack hooked his arm through the rope ladder on the side of The Pearl. To wrap both arms around the struggling burden to keep them both from falling into the sea. Niece had both arms wrapped around his head and tangled in his dreadlocks. Both legs wrapped around his body and there was no way she was coming off of him.

The way she had him in a headlock put his face directly in between her breasts. His muffled voice came from its nesting place, "An' just how am I suppose ta make her stop," Jack grunted as he hung on to her tightly. He thought, _'This would not be a bad situation if the circumstances were different.'_

"Jack, Jack, I thought I had ye figured. Ye can't handle that little bit of a woman?" Barbossa mused.

"There is more to 'er than ya would think," Jack's muffled voice came again from between her breasts.

"Uh, oh," Lydia winched from beside Will and Barbossa on the deck of The Pearl. Barbossa frowned as he looked at Lydia wondering what she meant. He didn't have to wait long to find out.

"Fat? Are you saying I am fat, you scurvy pirate? I am not fat," Niece screeched as her struggles renewed. Her feet coming into contact with parts of Jack's body that he would rather not have had them coming into contact with.

"I didn't say ya were fat, I said there was more to ya than I expected is all," Jack mumbled.

Barbossa roared with laughter as Gibbs crossed himself again. When Barbossa got himself back under control he advised, "Then hand her to me, she don't like ye….Jack. I like a little something to hang on too. She's more the kind of woman I can handle. She likes me 'cause I didn't call her fat."

"Take 'er, take 'er," Jack mumbled. Barbossa did just that. He reached down, managed to get an arm around her waist and shake her free of everything except Jack's dreadlocks. Even though she was fighting to hang on to Jack and at the same time kick him to pieces. Barbossa hauled her up onto the deck with Jack yelling and scrambling after her, "She has my hair! Ow, Bugger, bugger, bugger, ow. She has my hair!"

Gibbs untangled her fingers from Jack's hair as Barbossa shook her to get her attention, "Missy, cease before I have ya gagged and thrown into the brig." She stopped, the glazed over expression in her blue eyes suddenly leaving.

Lydia walked up to her, "What was that?"

Niece composed her self as much as she could. She looked to see that all eyes even those of the crew were on her waiting for an explanation, "Er, nothing, forget it."

"I think not Missy," Barbossa said as he shoved her none too gently towards the captain's cabin at back of the ship. "Miss Lydia, Jack, Will, and Gibbs ta the Cap'n's cabin. Marty find Tia and Miss Elizabeth and join us there. We have a need ta talk."

When Niece wasn't moving fast enough to suit him, Barbossa took a hold of her upper arm and propelled her into the cabin. She pulled her arm out of his grasp as she walked to one side of the cabin. They all noted that Barbossa and not Jack took the chair behind the captain's desk. Gibbs lit some candles then went to a dark corner.

Jack was the last to enter still rubbing his head. He stopped to shut the door, making a point of glaring at Niece while he straightened his bandana. He stepped up to the desk and rested a hip on it letting his leg dangle over the front nonchalantly. When she turned into the light he and Barbossa got up at the same time staring at her chest.

Marty, Tia and Elizabeth entered, and Niece noted that Gibbs crossed himself again. Elizabeth went to stand by Jack and not Will. _'Interesting,'_ Niece thought as she remembered the sound in Elizabeth's voice when she'd made the comment about how well Jack kissed back at the faire.

Will's expression was none to friendly as he stared at Jack and Elizabeth. Lydia saw Will's look and moved closer to him putting her arm through his. He turned and smiled at her. _'Again, interesting, very interesting indeed._' Niece thought as she watched Lydia and Will make eyes at each other. Then she noticed that Elizabeth's eyes also were glued to her chest.

"Where and how did ye get that?" Barbossa demanded, pointing to Niece's chest.

"Huh…. Oh, my wound, I explained that to Mister Gibbs, I got it at the fight on the beach earlier this afternoon," Niece suddenly realized why they were staring at her chest.

"Does it need to be seen to now? I would be willing to see to it," Elizabeth asked.

"That is very kind of you. But, no it hasn't bled for quite a while. Norrington gave me water and cloth to clean it. Which reminds me I need to tell all of you what Norrington is up to and why," Niece started to say.

"Ne'er mind that now. Explain yer actions," Barbossa relaxed and sat back down bringing Niece out of her thoughts. Jack the monkey jumped onto his shoulder. He absent-mindedly patted the monkey. The other Jack sat a hip on the desk again in that nonchalant manner.

"Um,….. No," Niece refused, pursing her lips together with a stubborn look.

"What?"

"No."

"Yer among friends," he used his hands to indicate the people in the room. "And ye owe Jack an apology for pulling his hair."

Jack gave her one of his famous smirks and Elizabeth looked from one to the other smiling. Finally asking, "What is going on here?"

"She tried to make a eunuch of me with her boots," Jack pouted as Will snickered. The others except Barbossa and Tia hid their mouths behind their hands or coughed. Jack shot Will an injured look, "Ye already have a lovely singin' voice. I don't and don't plan ta soon," Jack looked down his nose at Will.

"Jack," Elizabeth snapped. Jack shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes.

"We are waiting," Barbossa repeated.

"No, it was nothing."

She jumped as Barbossa slammed his fist down on the desk and got up to walk around the desk towards her. Gibbs crossed himself again. _'That is getting annoying,_' she thought as Barbossa put his finger close under her nose, "There are ways ta persuade ya ta talk miss. An' they are not nice."

The stubborn look got more stubborn as she just glared at him. Barbossa got an idea. "All right, Just Niece if that be the way ye want it." His eyebrows went up as he stared her directly in the eye. There were chuckles and giggles as everyone in the room watched the exchange.

She ground out through clenched teeth, "Niece!"

"I am disinclined to acquiesce to yer request," he smiled.

She did her trademark thinking look, closed one eye, sighed and scratched her head. She smirked as she put her hands on his shoulders, looked him in the eye and said sweetly, "All Right, Hector."

Barbossa rolled eyes, tipped his head back and then roared with laughter. He mimicked her by putting his hands on her shoulders, "Touché, a worthy opponent. Now I will name _my_ terms. Ye will tell us what this is all about and I will call ye Miss Niece. Otherwise ye will be locked in the brig and I will still call ye Just Niece. Agreed?"

"Fine," She motioned with her finger for him to come closer.

"Well?" He asked when she pulled him down so she could whisper in his ear.

"I am deathly afraid of water and small boats if I don't have a lifejacket on," she whispered. "I couldn't say anything because I don't think lifejackets are invented yet."

He formed the word 'Oh' with his lips. "We just won't mention that part aloud." He squeezed her shoulders. Then raised his voice enough for all to hear, "She is afraid of small boats in the sea."

She explained farther, "I panic, I can't stop it. It just washes over me and I do the only thing I can think of. That is to not go in one, no matter what. When I woke up from Jack hitting me over the head. I was just hanging in air, all I could see was the long boat and water. I panicked, I am sorry that I caused you any harm Jack."

Jack gave a slight bow from the waist, "Apology accepted luv." Elizabeth smiled as she touched Jack on the arm. The look between them did not escape Niece.

Niece moved away from Barbossa, she wiggled her eyebrows at the others and casually asked, "Does that mean I can still call you Hector."

It was Barbossa's turn for a one word refusal, "No."

"That was not part of our agreement…." She was interrupted by Barbossa.

"Ye can call me Captain Barbossa or Captain. Nothing else," he warned and he looked so intimidating that she shrugged.

"Captain? I might get responses from two pirates that way," she teased fiddling with a necklace she had kept on.

"Then Captain Barbossa best be what ye calls me," Barbossa growled. She nodded and let it drop.

"Would you better tell 'er de ohther pro-_blem_ Cap-_tain_ Barbossa, hmmm" Tia sauntered over to Barbossa and walked around him. Gibbs crossed himself again. _"Ah,'_ Niece thought, Gibbs is superstitious.

"What other problem?" Niece looked back at Barbossa.

"We be nothin' but a pirate crew, with pirate needs and pirate skills. The needs of the crew include the warmth and touch of a woman. They don't ask permission, they just take what they want. You need protection from the crew by declaring that you belong to one of us. It _has_ to be one of us in this room," Barbossa explained.

"Lydia? Who?" Niece turned to her friend.

"Will is my protector. And you are not going to like this part. Until I showed affection for Will in front of the crew they wouldn't leave me alone," Lydia answered.

Niece didn't need to ask Elizabeth who her protector was it was obvious. "What about you Tia?"

"I doan need protect-_tion_. Dem scared of Tia. I stay in de room wid me tings," Tia said.

"Then I will stay with you Tia, I don't need any protection. Besides I have already been told once today that I am not pretty enough to attract attention," Niece shook her head. She stared around the room daring anyone to comment. Facts were facts and she knew she was just some where in the middle in the looks department. No one except Jack's expression changed. He knew better than to say anything.

"Dat no poss-able, you no need beauty. You are a wo-_man _dat all dat matter. I cannot protect you from dem," Tia shrugged as she walked around Niece looking her up and down.

"Suit yer self, ye will come to one of us in time, "Barbossa shrugged. "Ye will have ta find some where ta sleep. All the cabins be taken, but there be the crews quarters. Unless ye change yer mind, then ya can sleep in a cabin. Now everyone out of me cabin. Gibbs ye pick the first watch and set sail for Tortuga."


	9. Banter

A/N: Some more back story in this chapter so it will be slow to some of my reviewers. Some of you have private messaged me asking if it is ok to do that since you have tried to review and have been denied saying that you have already submitted a review for that chapter on that computer or something like that. Anyway, it is ok with me for you to do that. I am interested in feedback and critique and if that is the only way to get it. So be it. Thanks again to all of you that have reviewed.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 9

Niece fingered the horse necklace like she always did when she was a bit nervous. As she waited until the others to file out of the cabin before she gave one last look to Barbossa. He raised his eyebrows and gave her a bored look, "What? Was there somethin' else ye wanted Missy? If there be, speak up I am tired." He stretched and yawned to prove his point. She noticed that he really was tall when he stretched. Then mentally shook herself, _'Now where did that thought come from? Hmmm, looks can be deceiving is all I guess.'_

Niece was learning when he called her Missy that he wasn't going to do anything she asked. But she gave it a try anyway, "Yes, as a matter of fact there is Captain Barbossa. My sword and pistols were taken from me. Do you have any extra around that I might borrow, before I go out into crew? I would like to be able to protect myself with something besides my bare hands," she said snottily.

"Ye think I should be _givin'_ ye a sword? I have learnt ne'er to _lend_ anything. Ye ne'er get it back," He rolled his head back and laughed, then suddenly stopped and grinned a lecherous smile. He stalked towards her as the monkey jumped off his shoulder with a screech. He stopped inches from her. His blue eyes bore holes in her, looking from one to the other of her eyes. He hesitated but she held her ground stubbornly refusing to back up even though he intimidated her. He leaned into her face so she could feel his breath as he spoke. "I think not Missy. Ye just said ya can protect yourself. So do it without me help."

She couldn't stop her eyes from voluntarily blinking as he spoke. She waited for the horrendous breath that would come from those rotten black teeth. It didn't. It smelled of sweet apples. She exhaled noisily remembering his teeth were a mouth piece. She mentally cursed herself for the mistake of showing weakness by keeping her eyes closed. She slowly opened one eye. He was smirking at her.

"Curse you for the wretched pirate you are Captain Barbossa," she said as she firmly pushed against his chest so she could leave the room without touching more of him than she had to.

"Don't you mean charming pirate, hmmm?" Barbossa threw his head back and bellowed with laughter as she slammed the door. She made a note that his speech also changed from time to time. He seemed to speak more like a gentleman when he didn't pay attention. She wondered about his past.

She walked out into the moonlight wondering exactly how many cabins the Black Pearl had. She looked up at the helm above the captain's cabin and saw Gibbs at the wheel. She climbed the stairs to the helm and walked up beside Gibbs. She felt the hair on the back of her neck crawl as if she was being watched. She shivered even though she had her coat on.

Gibbs saw and whispered quietly, "The walls o' The Pearl are thin. I heard ya ask Cap'n Barbossa for a sword. I canna give ya me sword but I have a knife ya can use."

"Thank you Mister Gibbs. You wouldn't be willing to let me use your cabin would you?" Niece asked as she took the offered knife.

"Sorry lass. There only be four cabins on The Pearl. Miss Lydia and Will use mine while they are on the ship. And afore ya ask aboot the others. Cap'n Barbossa has the captain's cabin. Cap'n Jack an' Elizabeth have one and Tia Dalma has the last. I be bunkin' wit' the crew," Gibbs nodded and crossed him self.

"So the Black Pearl does have two captains. Seems that could confuse the crew," Niece alleged as she looked sideways at his actions. Then smiled shrugging it off, thinking he reminded her of her older brother. Let Gibbs keep his superstitions.

"Aye, that be true enough, but they think alike, Cap'ns Jack an' Barbossa. After Cap'n Barbossa took us ta rescue Cap'n Jack an' get The Pearl back. They fought about it for a time, it just kind o' faded after a while an' there be a silent understanding that both are Cap'ns," Gibbs told the story.

"Oh," Niece didn't see the need to question him farther about it. But knowing how Gibbs loved to tell a story asked, "What's Norrington's story?"

"Ah, that be a 'hole other story. See after the former commodore fell behind we thought he was gone fer sure. After Jack was gone we forgot about the former commodore. Cap'n Barbossa took us ta Tortuga ta get a crew and there be the former commodore alive an' well. He said he wanted ta sign on ta find Cap'n Jack. Now it appears he be just after what is in his best interest," Gibbs finished.

"I would say so. I do need to talk to Cap'n Barbossa about what I know about the former commodore," Niece mused aloud.

"Now wouldna be the opportune time, I be thinkin' lass," Gibbs frowned.

"No, I will wait for the opportune time," Niece smiled as she had the feeling she was being watched again. She looked quickly around the deck and up in the rigging before her eyes found the source of her uncomfortable feeling of dread.

Gibbs' eyes followed hers to the crows nest. "Keep yer eyes on the sea ya scabrous dog," Gibbs yelled up at the leering pirate. Then he lowered his voice, "If ya need help lass, I be as close ta ya as I can. But I can only do so much," Gibbs shyly smiled at her.

"Thank you again Mister Gibbs. But I will be fine," Niece said as she gazed out over the moonlit sea. She walked to the railing and looked down at the dark water sliding silently past the ship. "How long to get to Tortuga?"

"Depends," Gibbs said. "The wind, if we be followed, who we meet along the way."

"Oh, well I guess I will find some place to sleep," Niece said as she turned to walk away.

"Be careful lass, the crew already be watchin' ya," Gibbs said as she nodded and walked down the stairs to the deck.

She noticed the captain's cabin was dark but could have sworn she saw a shadowy figure on the other side of the window. She was sure when she saw the curtains fall into place. She had noticed the curtains before, and thought it odd that a pirate ship would have curtains at the windows. They were ornate heavy turquoise velvet, _'maybe they were plunder from some merchant ship.'_ She thought.

It was late, she was tired, her wound ached and was hot to the touch. She needed to find a place to curl up and sleep. Some where out of the way and not easily come upon by any of the crew. She wandered until the crew paid her no mind noting places she could sleep. The best spot she found was on a coil of rope in a corner under one of the stairways to the helm. It was by one of the cabins and so she felt she would be safe there. She put her posterior in the coil of the rope and leaned against the wall in the corner. She fell asleep instantly. She slit her eyes open when she heard foot steps on the stairs. It was Will going up the stairs. She heard muttered words as Will took Gibbs place. Then it was Gibbs coming down the stairs she heard. He glanced at her, saw she was sleeping and continued to opening. Going down to the crew's quarters she presumed.

It felt like she had no sooner closed her eyes again than she heard a voice, "Lass, wake up before it be light enough for everyone ta discover ya," came Gibbs voice.

"Mister Gibbs just one more hour," she yawned.

"I canna let ya Lass. The Cap'n be up soon and the cook already be fixin' some thin' ta break our fast," Gibbs shook her shoulder again and she moaned and turned away from him. But her stomach growled giving her away.

"All right, all right. I am up," she stretched as she put her hands to her back to get the kinks out. And then to her wound as she rolled her shoulder.

"Any water around here besides salt water to wash with?" She asked as she stood up moving far enough from her hiding place so it wouldn't be discovered.

"There be a rain barrel Cap'n Barbossa had put on deck for Miss Elizabeth ta use," Gibbs said as he pointed. She walked across the dim deck noting that most of the lights had been doused and that a faint pre-dawn light shown in the sky to the starboard bow side of the ship. They must be heading east she surmised. She turned around when she got to the barrel. Will was at the helm silhouetted against a lantern the hung aft of the helm. He gestured 'Good Morning' to her as he guided the ship through the still dark water. Gibbs was standing next to Will.

She picked up some soap and a rag that was next to the barrel. She turned slightly toward the wall in front of the barrel. Undoing her coat and her shirt down to below her breasts she checked the wound. The wound was red rimmed, raw and hot to the touch. _'Damn, this is going to hurt, but I have to scrub out all the infection I can.'_ She soaped up the rag. Gritting her teeth against the pain as she scrubbed the wound until it started to bleed a little bit. Jack was coming out of one of the cabins. When he saw her he changed course towards her. She put down the rag and covered the wound with her coat.

Jack stopped next to her tilting his head back to look at her down his nose. "Do us a favor luv and don't do anythin' stupid as far as Barbossa is concerned."

"That is exactly what I am trying to do Jack," she spat, not in a good mood since her wound now burned like fire.

"No. What _you_ are doin' is the opposite," Jack said as he put his hands up in front of him as if to ward her off. Then he waved them as if it was a hopeless cause. Turned and walked away across the deck toward the helm.

She opened her coat and looked around to see if anyone was watching. She didn't see anyone, so turned to face to open sea and continued cleaning her wound. She didn't hear the quiet footsteps coming up behind her. She stopped her cleaning, frowned at the sea and sniffed. _'That's strange she thought. I smell apples.'_

She jumped a foot and whirled covering her wound at the sound of the deep masculine voice behind her. "I wouldn't be offerin' the view I jus' got ta the crew if I were ya Missy, We have a need ta talk," Barbossa said from close behind her.

"Damn, you scared the shit out of me. Geeze, you…. You are as quiet as a stalking mountain lion," Niece blurted out, throwing down the rag.

He grabbed her arms, looked around quickly and snarled quietly, "Watch what you say Missy. Remember my advice on how to talk. Mountain lions haven't been named that yet," he warned. "And that is no language for a lady."

"Who said I was a lady? I have always been willful and a bit of a hoyden. I admit it," she snapped, not missing that his speech had become more refined.

He chuckled, "Yes, I guess you are a bit willful bold and more than rude. You have a sassy mouth on you too."

"It seems that neither one of us are who we seem to be on the outside," she stated as she ignored his last comment. She rinsed out the rag and wet it again washing her face while talking. As she slid the rag down to uncover her eyes. Blue eyes met blue eyes and held.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he narrowed his eyes looking down his nose at her similar to the way Jack had done earlier.

"My guess is that you haven't always been a pirate, Captain Barbossa," she smirked as she put a finger on his chest pushing him back. Keeping her gaze locked with his as long as she could, she moved around him and walked off.

She giggled as she heard his muttered, "Arrrr, bloody wenches."


	10. Conflict and Acquiesce

A/N: This chapter is a bit long. But there wasn't any place to break it into two chapters without breaking the rhythm of the chapter. There wasn't even really a good place for a cliff hanger. I hope you don't get bored and please keep reviewing or PM me if the site won't let you review. Thanks Reviewers!

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 10

Marty and Cotton paid her no mind as they came from below deck and started doing odd jobs about the ship. A few minutes later some other crew members came up, they were not so kind as to leave her alone. Some bumped into her or brushed against her. She tried to ignore them and stay out of their way. Hoping they would go about their jobs and forget her.

Instead they made snide comments, gestures and bets on who could get her. A couple of them walked around her in a circle looking her up and down. They grinned and leered at her, touching her hair and clothes as she slapped at their hands. _'But they are pirates and not going to be dissuaded by hand slapping.'_ She thought.One came close, she could tell her was going to speak directly to her. When he opened his mouth to speak his rotten breath hit her square in the nose. She drew back as she made a face, trying to politely cover her nose and breathe out of her mouth.

"Ain't the likes of me good enough for ye Wench?" He sneered. "I be showin' ye how ta treat a man." He said as he lunged for her causing laughs from the attention he drew to them. She waited until the last second before she stepped aside and drew Gibbs' knife from her belt.

"I'll show you how I cut a pirate's guts out and use them for garters," she snarled as she moved the knife back and forth in front of his middle section. "Now out of my way you sea scum, before I cut you good."

"No need ta fer that. I was just playin' wit ye," the pirate knew when to back off. He knew those wenches in Tortuga knew how to cut a man where it did the most damage. He'd seen her fight on the beach and stick a couple of soldiers too. This confrontation seen by the others on deck caused the crew to go about their duties. They were thinking of other ways to get her.

"Play some where else," she moved toward him as he backed off. She saw Barbossa by the main mast with the monkey on his shoulder watching the exchange. He didn't look very happy. She thought, _'In fact he looks rather angry. Good! But then was he angry with her or his crew members?'_ She felt a twinge of something she couldn't quite put a finger on at the thought he was angry with her. But dismissed it as soon as it came to her. He walked to the opening to go below deck ignoring her.

She went to the railing looking out at the sea. The morning sun made the turquoise waters of the Caribbean appear more green than blue. She strolled along not paying attention to where she was going. Putting her hand into her coat pocket, she felt the wilted honeysuckle blossoms. She pulled them out and put them to her nose still able to smell their heady sweet fragrance. She stopped when she got to the bottom of the stairs to the helm. She turned and leaned her back against the railing resting her arms on it.

Twirling the blossoms between her fingers, she watched Marty up in the rigging. He was shouting down to Cotton and a couple of others that were adjusting several ropes and sails. Jack was at the helm giving orders that she didn't understand. Then his chocolate brown eyes turned to her in a disapproving stare. She had to do something, so she stuck her tongue out at him. He mouthed the word, _'childish'_ at her. She shruuged.

The shrug and leaning her arms against the railing had caused her coat and shirt to gape open momentarily showing part of her wound. Jack's eyes changed to concern as they shifted downward to the wound.

Feeling self conscious she turned to the sea leaning on the rail. She covered her wound with her shirt. She could smell more than the dried blood still on her shirt. She knew that smell, it was the smell of infection. She would deal with it later. She put the blossoms to her nose again to wash away the other smell.

She dropped the blossoms into the sea watching as they fluttered down to the water. She could smell the fresh salt air now as dawn broke on the horizon. She remembered the saying about a 'red dawn.' She was thankful that the color of the dawn was a peach yellow color. She didn't know if she could deal with a storm even if she was on a ship.

She felt it was already warm out and took off her coat and put it on some boxes out of the way. _'That's better. I can already feel the cool breeze from the ship on my skin.'_ She rolled up her sleeves to let the cool breeze wash over her arms. She ran her hands through her hair to untangle the knots in it. Her sleeves kept falling down and she kept pushing them up. The right sleeve fell again and she left it down around her hand.

She heard Jack call Cotton to the helm. She paid Jack no mind until her right wrist was suddenly grabbed and her sleeve pushed back up. "Where? How? You are Pegasus?" Jack demanded quietly then covered her tattoo.

She had startled and squeaked as Jack grabbed her. She looked at the small tattoo she had of Pegasus above her right wrist. It was usually hidden by her watch, but since she couldn't wear it. The tattoo was in plain sight. Her mind was trying to connect her jousting name with him knowing about it. That wasn't possible. There was no connection between knights and pirates. There must be a connection, something, the script? Confused she shook her head, not knowing what to say.

"Keep that covered for now," Jack said as he looked around to see if anyone else noticed the tattoo. He turned around and leaned his forearms on the rail. He looked out across the sea, changing the subject. He lowered his voice. "We will get you back, just for now, don't worry and do what Barbossa said before we got to the island. Did Norrington see it?" He gestured to the tattoo.

"No he didn't. What does my tattoo have to do with all this? I understand you have to do it this way. I just don't understand how big my part is in it," she pondered aloud. She also turned and mimicked his stance leaning her forearms on the rail.

"We don't even know what is next anymore. It changes all the time. But there was mention of such a tattoo. I can't explain it now, just keep it covered. As for the other. We know we have to lure Norrington to where we can get a hold of him or we are stuck here," Jack looked down through his arms at the railing where he rested one foot.

They fell silent as they heard foot steps approaching. Pintel walked up to them and said to Niece, "You'll be dinin' with the Cap'n this mornin'."

"You can tell the Captain that I will not dine with him. I will dine with the other women," she snidely replied.

"He said that ye'd say that. An' he also said if that be the case then ye'd be dinin' with the crew," he stopped, scratched his head, frowned in thought and continued, "An' that ye'd be showin' more ta the crew than ye did this mornin'?"

"Fine, tell him I got the message. I will be there," she snapped as she pushed past him to stomp off across the deck. She heard Jack groan from where she left him.

"Don't you say a word Jack Sparrow," Niece snapped as she turned around to point at him.

"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack retorted.

Niece just threw up her hands and stomped off. She went down below decks and sat on one of the cannons. She was out of the way of the stairs in the dark. _'It is hot and damp down here,_' she thought. She wiped her sleeve across her sweating brow.

It wasn't long before Pintel came down calling, "Where are ye Poppet? Time fer me ta take ye ta the Cap'n."

"I'm here Pintel, lead the way," Niece stood, resigned to the fact that she had to dine with Barbossa alone. Not being sure how far to let things go, she followed Pintel to the captain's cabin.

She noticed that Cotton was still at the helm. Marty and Ragetti were mending some sails sitting on some boxes close to the cabin. She went through the door as Pintel opened it and stepped aside for her to enter. He stayed outside shutting the door after her. She stopped dead when she entered. Jack, Liz, Will, Lydia, Gibbs, Barbossa and Tia were all sitting at a table laden with all kinds of food.

She met Barbossa's grin with sigh of relief. "The way Pintel relayed your message to me. He made me believe it would be just you and I dining together Captain Barbossa," she remarked.

"Disappointed?" He smirked as he motioned for her to take the chair next to him. His blue eyes twinkling.

"No, elated actually," she smiled back. Jack groaned and Gibbs crossed himself. Niece laughed out loud as she looked back and forth between Jack and Gibbs. She took her seat between Jack and Barbossa as Barbossa pushed her chair in under her. "Thank you Captain."

Lydia frowned at Niece as she watched the others take ham, bread and fruit off the trenchers. Even the women took what they wanted. Niece shook her head as Barbossa said, "There be no need for formalities here get what ye want before it be gone."

They both got some food and began to eat. Jack who was sitting on one side of Niece gave her another odd look as he said, "So what is so important about the former commodore that you wanted to tell us? We heard you had been a little more than friendly to him."

"He planned it that way to get you to come for me Jack. I wasn't friendly with him on purpose," Niece confided.

"That's not the way we heard it. We heard you were more than willing," Jack asked around a mouthful of food. He gave her a typical Jack smirk. Looking down his nose at her, his eyes half closed.

"I was not willing. I was asleep and he took advantage of that. It was to let someone see things he wished them to spread throughout town. He knew the story would get to you. For some reason that only he knows. He has the idea that you have an attack of conscious now and then. You brought me here, you would hear my reputation was ruined in town and you would come to get me away from it," Niece stopped to let that sink in.

"Why Jack? Other than the obvious reason," It was Barbossa's turn to ask the question. He also narrowed his eyes and gave her a strange look.

"He wants revenge against Jack for past things that have happened to him true enough. At least he is of the mind that Jack is the cause of his problems now. He got his commission back after giving the heart to Beckett. But that isn't enough. He wants….um….hmmm. I can't remember his exact words. But the gist of it is he wants to have things his way. He seemed tired of being… How shall I put it? The bad person even if he is on the side of right. He also said that you were allowed to improvise…." Niece lowered her voice to a whisper, "The script."

"Did he now? That be makin' it harder for us ta all be in one place, when we need to be. We be dealin' with this latest development as we go. It may take longer is all," Barbossa said as he bit into an apple. Niece watched a little droplet of juice on his bottom lip. One corner of his lips turned up into a smirk. Her eyes shot to his, he was watching her, his blue eyes twinkling again. She blinked a couple of times as her vision blurred. His smirk turned into a frown.

"What's wrong with ye?" Barbossa demanded putting his apple down.

"Nothing, I am just tired from not enough sleep," Niece snapped defensively.

"Serves ye right," Barbossa muttered as he picked the apple up and took another bite.

"I know you. That isn't from not enough sleep," Lydia stated as she looked at Niece closer. "You look a bit flushed."

"Lyd, I am just tired," Niece glared at her.

"I think you look strange too," Jack said as he leaned closer to peer into her face. She frowned, leaning back away from Jack.

She leaned back far enough that it moved her closer to Barbossa. Barbossa snaked his hand around in front of her putting it on her forehead. He pulled her head back against his chest. Then he felt both her cheeks with the other hand. And under her shirt over her wound. She put both hands up to slap at his hands. He left his hand under her shirt. She blushed as she saw Jack do a typical smirk again.

"Let go of me you Bloody Pirate," Niece ground out between clinched teeth.

"That may be true, but you are hot all over. You have a fever," Barbossa stated.

Tia got up and started to saunter over to them but Jack beat her to it, by pulling her shirt open enough to see her wound as Barbossa removed his hand from over it.

"It festers," Tia stated. "I be righ' back." And she left with a swish of skirts muttering unintelligibly.

Jack went to the door as did Gibbs when Barbossa turned Niece lose. She marched to the door, "Let me out. I may not mind sharing a cabin with her. But she ain't gonna touch me with none of her potions."

Jack's eyebrows went up at the lapse in her refined speech. She tried to go one way and the other but Jack, Gibbs or both stepped in front of her. She turned to face Barbossa. He still sat in his chair, it was tipped back on its back legs. His arms were crossed over his chest. He was smiling a lecherous smile, "Seems like ye be goin' ta accept my hospitality after all. Even if ye are not inclined ta acquiesce ta it."

She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips wrinkling her nose. She looked back and forth between all of them.

"Uh, oh," Lydia moaned when she saw the expression on Niece's face. It was the same time that Niece pulled out Gibbs knife and stabbed it in Jack's direction. Jack was quick to jump out of the way. His reflex action was to hit the arm with the knife so it wasn't pointed at him.

Barbossa knocked over his chair as he lunged around the table. Gibbs grabbed for her wrist and missed. She turned on him and he moved out of the way as Will came off of his chair. Gibbs moved behind Will. Will unsheathed his sword and knocked the knife out of Niece's grasp. "That's not nice to threaten ol' Jack and Mister Gibbs, Miss Niece," Will said nonchalantly.

Barbossa's fingers locked in an iron grip around her wrist. He squeezed until she yelped. "I am about ta throw ye overboard Missy. And I know how much ye hate ta swim," Barbossa growled. He pulled her behind him to a chair and pushed her into it. He held her there by putting pressure on her shoulders.

"Who gave her that knife?" Barbossa swung around on them.

Before anyone could answer Niece blurted out, "No one I found it."

"If I find out yer lying whoever gave it ta ya will get ten lashes. Tell me the truth now and it be easier for the one who gave it ta ya," Barbossa pulled her head back by her hair and stared into her face. She glared at him defiantly not budging from her statement.

"Don't lie to him, Lass. I gave it ta the lass so she could protect her self last night," Gibbs confessed.

"No Gibbs! I won't have you punished by this no good pirate. I found it," Niece squeezed her eyes shut and groaned as Barbossa pulled her head back again.

"Good thing Mister Gibbs is honest Missy. It will go easier on him," Barbossa growled letting go of her hair none too gently. "Mister Gibbs pick up yer knife and don't let me see her with it again."


	11. Conflict and a wound

A/N: Okay, she may get a little Marysueish in this chapter for some of you. But it is only for a while.

Disclaimer: I better stick in a disclaimer again. I only lay claim to what I claimed in the first chapter. Disney owns the rest.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 11

Barbossa looked at the other men in the cabin as Tia walked into the room. They just stood there looking back at him. So he yelled, "Get yer scurvy hides back ta work ya sea dogs!"

Gibbs ran into Will and then Jack in his haste to leave the cabin, hoping that Barbossa would forget for the time being that he'd given Niece the knife. Will gave Gibbs an amused look, walked over to Lydia and asked, "Would you like to go out on deck or stay here with your friend?"

"I will stay, Tia may need my help. Since we _went_ to that _place_ we didn't want to go to at the faire just now," Lydia said as Will brought his hand to her lips and kissed it before he took his leave.

Jack looked questioningly at Elizabeth, "I will stay also." Elizabeth answered his unasked question. Jack followed the other two men out of the cabin.

"Don't talk as if I can't hear everything you are saying," Niece looked around the room, pinning each one of them with her glare. Then she turned it on Barbossa. "You should go with the others."

"I think not Missy. This be my cabin ye be usin'. Fer yer information, ya will stay here until ya are better. So get inclined ta seeing me here," Barbossa sat back folding his hands across his chest grinning at her.

"That is not proper, nor warranted Captain Barbossa," Niece insisted haughtily. "You stated earlier that I would not be allowed to stay here. Unless I made it known that you are my protector. I am still disinclined to accept your protection."

"Suit yer self Missy. I be not leaving and ye are staying. That be my final word on the matter," Barbossa leaned forward his blue eyes and expression intimidating her.

Tia had brought with her some jars and pouches of things. She muttered unintelligibly as she arranged them on the table. As she reached for Niece's shirt, Niece scooted to the next chair over. Barbossa deciding to stop that action sat in the next chair behind Niece. Tia reached for Niece's shirt again. Niece did the same thing putting her hands on the table and scooting over to the next chair. She got a puzzled look on her face when the chair was hard muscled legs and not a chair seat under her.

She jumped up and swung around. "Bloody Pirate, you should have made your presence known in that chair."

Barbossa laughed, "It was more exciting this way." He pointed to the chair she had just vacated. "Sit in it by yer self or be put in it. And let Tia tend ta ya, or I will tend ta ya myself."

Niece sat muttering about bloody pirates, scoundrels, and womanizing men. Tia pulled Niece's shirt back. Then said to Barbossa, "Do you have something do cover her wit'? Her shirt mus' come off for me do work."

Barbossa smiled lecherously but got up and got a blanket from the bed and handed it to Tia. Niece glared at him until he sighed and turned his back. She took off the shirt and put it on the table. Tia dropped the blanket around her shoulders. Niece brought up her right hand to hold it in place and Elizabeth gasped audibly as Tia took her hand and stared at the tattoo of Pegasus.

Lydia started to speak, "What is the problem with her ta…..," Lydia stopped as Elizabeth and Tia both put a hand up to silence her.

Barbossa turned to look at Lydia. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as Tia covered up Niece's tattoo. He continued to glance suspiciously from one to the other. So Lydia finished, "With her tan? We are in the Caribbean."

Barbossa's eyes narrowed even more. He took Niece's face between his thumb and fingers turning it this way and that. He dropped his hand, but looked as if he didn't believe a word Lydia said. Tia motioned for him to turn around which he reluctantly did.

Tia quickly took a strip of cloth and wound it around the tattoo. Elizabeth took off her guard for her sword hand and gave it to Niece. She indicated for her to put it on her hand and wrist. Tia pointed to the tattoo and then shook her head wiggling a finger negatively at Barbossa. Niece got the message that Barbossa was not to see the tattoo.

All of them except Tia jumped when Barbossa barked, "Hurry it up, it is too long ye be takin'."

"Dis things take time Captain," Tia explained, her voice softly soothed him. Barbossa started to pace as the monkey jumped on his shoulder from a perch.

Niece stopped Tia from putting a pungent smelling concoction on the wound. The blanket fell away as she used both hands to intercept Tia's hands from touching her. "What is that? Do you know what you are doing?"

Barbossa swung around his eyes going to Niece's bare chest. Niece picked up a plate and threw it at him. He dodged it easily, but his eyes went to her right wrist. "Keep her eyes to yourself Barbossa!"

"Now why would I be doin' that with such a sight afore me, hmmm," Then he changed the subject so quickly Niece shook her head in confusion. "When did you put on that guard?" Barbossa pointed to the item in question.

But she didn't miss a beat as she replied offhandedly, "I have had it since we changed clothes."

"I not be noticin' it afore now." He continued looking at her suspiciously. She looked at him like he was crazy for effect.

Still quick with and answer, "My shirt. It was under the cuff of my shirt."

He stared at the guard for a moment longer before he shrugged his shoulders dismissing it. Niece read his mind as she thought, _'He still thinks I am trying to hide something. I am going to have to watch that. I am also going to have to find out what Pegasus has to do with all this.'_

His eyes lit up as they shifted back to her chest. All he did after that was smirk not removing his eyes from her chest. His eyebrows went up and he gave a compliment to her attributes by kissing his fingers in the sign of merit when she glared at him.

Lydia muttered, "Here we go again." As Niece picked up a fork off the table and threw it at him. He laughed continuing to annoy her until she threw several more things at him that he just as easily side stepped.

"Do you want do get out of dis cabin?" Tia captured Niece's hands to stop her.

"Yes, I guess he has already gotten an eyeful and it's too late now. Stare all you want you bloody, womanizing, pirate," Niece frowned and sighed. Barbossa raised his eyebrows and smiled in victory. Watching what Tia was doing to the wound as he slowed his pacing.

"Den let me do dis an' you will get out soon," Tia gently rubbed the stuff on the wound. _'Hmmm, maybe Tia does know what she is doing, it acts a bit like peroxide. It does sting a bit and bubbles. '_ Niece thought.

"Only as soon as the fever goes away," Barbossa informed them. Niece said nothing but she was obviously pouting.

Tia waited a bit and then wiped it off. When she removed it, it brought some wicked green looking infection with it. Barbossa took the cloth from Tia to look at it and then leaned over Niece. Tia asked Lydia to bring her some water and she poured some into a mug and then mixed some powder with it.

"Haven't you had a close enough look? Do something useful and give me that blanket back," Niece said snottily.

"No I haven't, but I am looking at the wound and nothing else at the moment. Here be yer blanket," Barbossa picked up the blanket. She snatched it from his hands and covered herself with it. His face was serious as he touched around the wound. He poked and pinched it to see if any more infection was going to come out. Niece grit her teeth not giving into the sharp pain it caused her.

"I truly be sorry ta cause ya pain Niece. I want ta make sure all the infection is out. Ye see I not wantin' ta have yer shrewish presence in my cabin, any more than ya want ta have my womanizing pirate presence here," Barbossa smiled gently. Niece was taken back by the concern and sincerity of his voice. Because he'd called her by her given name, it told her he was being truthful.

"You not trust Tia's powers Captain?" Tia gave Barbossa a sideways glance.

"I trust ya dear Tia," Barbossa grinned at her.

Tia took the powder and water mixture and spread it on the wound. "Dis we leave on 'til it hardens. Den I remove it and any festering dat has been left behind." Tia was talking to Barbossa but explaining to Niece at the same time. "Now I mix some thing for her do drink do put her do sleep. Sleep will heal."

"I don't want to go to sleep. Things can happen if I go to sleep," Niece tilted her head back so she could pin Barbossa with her ice blue glare.

"No worries, _Niece_," he stressed her name. "I will leave and let Tia finish. When she leaves I will lock the door so ya are not bothered." He was true to his word when he walked to the door. "Jack, ya stay behind an' watch that the _lady_ is not disturbed." He told the monkey. He waited until Niece looked at him before he continued. "If she is ya come an' get me." He ruffled the money's fur and then left.

"Dis will make you sleep, but not so much dat you will not waken should you need do. If you do den you will not be sleepy. Do as I tell you and you will be rid of da Captain before we reach Tortuga."

Niece did as she was told, but the fever had taken more of a hold than Tia had thought. Niece was in and out of delirium for days and missed going into Tortuga. They had signed on a few more crewmembers to replace some of the crew that had been lost in the fight. The women took turns watching and caring for Niece. Even tough unemotional Barbossa, kind Gibbs and gentle Marty had taken turns at watching over her. Barbossa was gruffer than normal with the crew and short tempered. They were glad when he was in his cabin with the wench.

Niece woke a few times. It was mostly Marty by her side when she woke. They talked a little, and found that they had more in common than they'd thought. Niece had lost a son who was a little person. Twice when she opened her eyes it was Barbossa that sat in a chair next to her bed. She saw the concern in his eyes. When her eyes opened she heard him say through her foggy fever filled mind. "Come on girl, you have to fight this." He smiled gently and took a cool cloth to her face, chest and arms.

One time all of those that had been at the faire were in the cabin talking. They talked in low un-staged voices this time. Pintel and Ragetti stood by the door. Niece heard them discuss that they had to pull her out of this. That she could die. They were afraid it would be irreversible if she did. They were not sure but things had been irreversible before when they were here.

Niece spoke weakly, "I will be alright, just don't take me to a doctor. Doctor's here bleed a person. They think it gets the infection out when it only makes the person weaker." Her weak voice trailed off and she motioned for Barbossa making a motion for something to write with and on.

Lydia was crying and both Jack and Gibbs were comforting her. When Barbossa brought the writing implements she said, "Lyd, I need you now. You work with medicine back home. Think Lyd. What do you need to break this fever? Write it down, I know the others will go to any extreme to get what you need."

"Is there anything else that you want us to do Niece," Barbossa asked as he sat next to her on the bed.

"Lyd, knows better than I do. She works in the medical field. Thank you Captain, for everything you have done for me. I will repay you when I am back up and about," Niece's eyes closed as she fell back to sleep.


	12. Jack and Tia Discuss a Winged Horse

A/N: Thanks to all of my fateful reviewers. You guys are great! I am sorry to say I have been sick and didn't get as much written for this chapter as I have for the others. It is therefore kind of shorter than the others, but I wanted to give you something to read. Bear with me though. I will be back to normal soon.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 12

Barbossa took them back to Tortuga to try and get the plants and herbs that Lydia needed to reduce Niece's fever. Jack entered the cabin where Tia sat with Niece. He didn't swagger as much as he usually did. He did his usual hand gestures towards Niece. "How is she, Tia luv?" He asked as he came closer. Niece could hear them talking in her mind, but couldn't open her eyes.

"Ayeee….. Not good," Tia replied. "We need do get back do Tortuga quickly or it may be too late."

Jack looked at Niece's right arm folded across her chest. He saw the wrapped wrist and the guard. He indicated to Niece's wrist with his head, fingering his braided beard. "Ya know who she is?"

"Yes."

"Does Barbossa?"

"No, an' her know not to let him find out," Tia put another cool cloth to Niece's head. "But her not know it is because da wing horse wo-man is already in him heart. Him waits for the wo-man wit' da wing horse mark. But der is da other man wit' da sea green eyes. Him care for da wing horse wo-man more dan him knows. If Lydia cannot make her well den him can make her well by take her back. But dey mus' come back when her is well. It mus' go as it is written."

Niece heard all this. She got the image of a green eyed man in her mind as soon as Tia mentioned him. She knew who the green eyed man was. She tried to speak but her jaw wouldn't move, and her throat was dry. She tried to lift her hand and it barely twitched but neither one saw it move.

"Ya still don't know who he is, Tia luv?" Jack sighed.

He leaned against the wall of the cabin, one booted foot crossed over the other. The motion caused his hat to slide down almost over his eyes. He absently fingered the compass at his side. Suddenly, he brought it close to his face, peering at it from under his hat. He peeked inside it and snapped it shut like a game. He didn't appear satisfied with the way it pointed so he shook it. Peeked again, whispered, "Bugger." Then he hooked it back to his belt, ignoring it. Niece tried to move again, her breathing came a little faster, but that was all. Again no one noticed her.

"Jus' dat him is a tall, muscular man wit' light brown hair an' sea green eyes," Tia shrugged. "I tol' you everything I saw in my mind of dis man dat I do not know. I saw da wing horse wo-man dat I did not know until I saw her mark. Da only one I saw dat I know was Barbossa. Dey all have a touch of destiny about dem. No one but you know of dis man, Jack Sparrow."

"Uh, Tia darlin', uh one other person knows. I told Elizabeth." Jack interrupted.

"I know dis thing Jack Sparrow. You can not keep dis thing from me. I see it when you tol' 'Lizabet. Now, back do da same story, not even Barbossa know of dis man. Things must go as it is written," Tia admonished.

Niece's eyelashes fluttered, again they didn't see it. Niece thought frustrated, _'For someone who can see so many visions. Tia sure is missing that I am trying to tell her I know who the blasted green eyed man is.'_

"Things must go as they are written," Jack repeated as he pushed off the wall. He straightened his hat. He walked back and forth twisting one of the braids in his beard. His facial features changed from frowning, to wide eyed, to wonder. Then he smirked, "Then I have ta find out who the bloody green eyed man is. Savvy?"

"Jack Sparrow, what do you wan' most right now? Well….. den?" Tia's eyes glittered as she looked at Jack.

"Ta find the bloody damn green eyed man, Tia luv," Jack grumbled as he continued his pacing. He switched from twisting his braid to fingering the compass again.

Tia rolled her eyes, "Da Compass you barter from me. It can lead you to dis?"

He stopped put the classiest smirk on his face, got the compass, closed his eyes and repeated over and over, "I want to find the green eyed man, savvy?" He opened the compass, it swung and spun for a few seconds, but never settled. He closed it, "Bugger, bugger, bugger, it doesn't work."

"Give it time Jack Sparrow," Tia scolded. This time Niece managed to raise her eyelids a fraction. She tried to stare at Jack to make him look at her. He passed close to her and Niece managed to move her hand so that it fell to the blankets. Both of their gazes simultaneously turned to look at her hand. _'Finally,'_ she thought.

"Ya awake, luv?," Jack leaned closer to Niece. Her eyes barley open she looked from Jack's eyes to his compass and back to his eyes. "Did ya hear me? Or rather did ya hear us talkin' afore?" Niece moved her eyes up and down, indicating 'yes.'

"Can you speak?" Tia asked as she also leaned closer to Niece. Niece moved her eyes back and forth. "She cannot speak, but tells us wit' her eyes yes or no."

Niece looked at Jack's compass and back to Tia several times. "You want him compass?" Tia asked. Niece moved her eyes up and down. Jack took the compass and set it on Niece's chest wrapping her hands around it. He stepped back quickly. The compass swung to point toward the west south west.

"The only thing in that direction is Port Royal, savvy?" Jack mused. Niece closed her eyes. "That is not what ya are tryin' ta tell us is it, luv?" Jack concluded. Niece moved her eyes back and forth, indicating 'no.'

"The green eyed man? Ya heard us talkin' about the green eyed man. Ya know who he is, don't ya, luv?" Jack's eyes sparkled as Niece moved her eyes up and down. "That must be where the green eyed man is," Jack deduced. Niece moved her eyes up and down again.

"No," Tia whispered as she pointed to the compass. It was slowly moving more south. "Him mus' be movin' dis way."

Jack watched the compass, an index finger on his lips as he frowned at the compass. He closed one eye and then the other looking at the compass from different angles. He tapped it and then wiggled it. He looked at Tia, then back to the compass. "If ya say so Tia luv, then it be movin'." But Jack didn't see that it was. Jack thought out loud, putting a finger to his bottom lip. He had a far away look in his eyes, then they cleared as he got an idea, "He has to be on a ship then. There is nothing but open water that way. It is movin' then he is movin' probably from Port Royal to Tortuga."

Tia nodded, "Ayeeee, Jack Sparrow, you are smart as well as witty."

Jack the monkey came in an open window. He scampered up a beam to hang onto an unlit lantern staring at Jack. Jack tried to shoo the monkey away with wild hand gestures. The monkey just hissed at Jack. Jack hissed back, then got a determined look on his face, pulled out his pistol and aimed it at the monkey. Jack the monkey hissed again then took off out of the same open window it had come in through.

It only took about two seconds for the door of the cabin to be slammed open revealing Barbossa. Barbossa's eyes narrowed in thought as he said, "Oh it is just you two. The way Jack came to get me, I thought the girl was being bothered by the whole damn crew."

The monkey jumped up and down on Barbossa's shoulder, hissing and pointing at Jack. "By the way Jack. What have you done to Jack?" Barbossa demanded. Tia grinned from ear to ear but said nothing.

Jack looked over his shoulder, down the front of himself, and back at his rear. He picked up his legs and looked at one and then the other. Barbossa rolled his eyes, gave a bit of apple to Jack the monkey, and walked up to Jack. Barbossa pinned Jack with his gaze. Jack gave a quick smile, started to gesture with his hands, stopped, frowned, and then sighed saying, "Just a bit of harmless fun mate."

"Harmless ye say? Harmful says I," Barbossa raised his eyebrows, and continued to pierce Jack with his eyes. He turned to walk over to his bed, looking down at the woman in it. "Ah, yer awake," he said as he bent down to feel her head. "Ya be still burnin' up with fever. We will be back to Tortuga soon. I will make sure ya get what ya need." He smiled gently at her as he grabbed Jack's arm and propelled him out of the cabin ahead of himself.

A/N: Sorry Romantic Girl and Imapiratealso, I have to keep you in a bit more suspense about Pegasus. I did give you a little teaser about Pegasus though.


	13. Needing Norrington

A/N: Same as before read and review please. I think you will get a kick out of this chapter. Since I made her sick, I thought I would throw a few laughs in this chapter. Just to lighten the grimness of the last couple of chapters.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 13

Barbossa hung onto Jack's arm after they got out of the cabin. He stopped letting go of Jack's arm only to pull his knife and hold it at Jack's throat, "What are ya up to Jack? Why were ya in with the girl an' what was the purpose of the compass?"

Jack stopped, leaned his head back, tilting it to the side away from the knife and answered, "I was havin' a thought, Barbossa, ey." Jack thought quickly about how much he wanted Barbossa to know. "If Niece doesn't start gettin' better after we get what Lydia needs in Tortuga. Then we are goin' ta have a need ta find Norrington. Savvy?"

"I get yer meanin', but I don't like it. That woman kind of grows on ya," Barbossa spat disgusted that he was showing his gentler side.

Jack's eyes widened and then narrowed. He didn't like the way Barbossa said that. Seems it was already starting and Barbossa had no idea Niece was Pegasus yet. They needed to find Norrington and the green eyed man before Barbossa found out.

Will strode up to them then, "Captain Barbossa, we need Jack. If you kill him now it would not be the opportune moment. Although I would like nothing better than to see Jack out of the way where Elizabeth is concerned, this isn't it."

"Fer a whelp ya be smart Mister Turner," Barbossa jerked the knife from Jack's throat. Jack the monkey hissed at Jack as he jumped on Barbossa's shoulder.

Barbossa walked to the helm and up the stairs. He pushed Gibbs out of the way, "Get ta work ya bloomin' cockroach!" He took the wheel from Gibbs. He looked up at the sails. They weren't full, he turned the wheel until they flapped full. Jack followed Barbossa and saw that they could also hold more sail, so he gave the order to Gibbs to do so.

Gibbs rushed to do Jack's bidding yelling orders to Marty, Cotton, Pintel and Ragetti. Marty and Cotton got to the rigging right away. Pintel and Ragetti ran into each other. The impact knocked out Ragetti's eye which Jack the monkey saw and scurried through the rigging to drop down on top of the eye to snatch it up.

Ragetti whined, "Me eye, the little hairy thief has me eye!"

Pintel threw a rope at the monkey as Barbossa rolled his eyes and said, "Give it back, Jack." The monkey let the eye go as he jumped up on Barbossa's shoulder for protection. Barbossa rubbed the monkey's head in comfort.

"Get to the riggin' ya landlubbers," Gibbs yelled. Ragetti put his eye back in and took off one way around the mast while Pintel went the other way. Gibbs' eyes got big and he shouted, "Mother's love! Go back around the other way. Ya canna let anythin' between ya when ya are together. It will bode ill for us all!"

Pintel and Ragetti stopped. They both looked puzzled, then Pintel put up a finger indicating that he got it. Saying sheepishly, "Oh."

He started around the other way the same time that Ragetti did and they ran into each other again. Gibbs grabbed them both by the neck of their shirts and pushed them both in the same direction around the mast.

Pintel and Ragetti went around the mast like Siamese twins, repeating at the same time, "Bread an' butter."

Gibbs crossed himself. Will put up his hands looking at the heavens for help. Jack's eyebrows rose in amusement, but he kept a straight face. Barbossa rolled his eyes again, gave the wheel over to Jack and started down the stairs.

Pintel saw Barbossa and took to the rigging so fast that he was out of Barbossa's reach. Ragetti wasn't as lucky as his foot went through the rigging and he got stuck.

Barbossa grabbed Ragetti's foot to get his attention, "If ya don't get yer arse up there right now I am going ta have ya keel-hauled."

"Aye, Sir," Ragetti whimpered as he shook loose Barbossa's hand and went up the rigging. They put on more sail.

It wasn't long before they arrived in Tortuga. Jack and Barbossa noticed that _The Intrepid_, a navy ship that Norrington was in command of was docked in the harbor.

"Jack, find someone _besides you,_ ta get a message ta Norrington about the woman. Ya best stay on board. I will leave the message to ya Jack. Just let him know that we might have a need of him," Barbossa leaned on the railing looking at The Intrepid. The monkey hissed at Jack standing next to them.

Jack looked down at his hands on the railing and then up at The Intrepid. _'Yes, it would be best for me ta stay here.'_ Jack thought. "I will send Gibbs. He is the best at convincing people about certain matters." Barbossa nodded.

Will and Elizabeth went with Lydia to find the things they could, to help reduce Niece's fever. Jack gave Gibbs a note and told him to find Norrington. Barbossa took some of the crew to get the few supplies they needed. Tia stayed with Niece. Pintel and Ragetti stood around close to the door to the cabin making up things to do and arguing about what was good and evil. Jack walked around the ship on guard.

Everyone made it back to The Pearl within a couple of hours except Gibbs. Barbossa commented, "Let's wait until dark, there be naught we can do 'til then. Gents, who wants ta go look for Mister Gibbs?"

"I will Cap'n," Pintel volunteered. "Ol' Gibbs has always been nothing but nice ta me."

"I will too," Ragetti sniffled. "Gibbs he be the epitome of good." Everyone turned to stare at Ragetti. Pintel hit him upside the head.

"What? He is," Ragetti repeated sniffling and rubbing his ear.

Barbossa shook his head, rolled his eyes, and then closed them. He rubbed a hand down his face. He turned his head towards Ragetti again before he opened his eyes. He pinned Ragetti with his best pirate glare. He sighed, "Ye slack jawed jack-a-napes. Mister Gibbs is a pirate and he drinks way too much ta be considered good."

Pintel looked sideways at Ragetti as Ragetti whispered, "Oh."

"Barbossa, I am havin' another thought here. Since I can't go, ya better send the whelp just ta make sure these two don't get inta trouble. Savvy?" Jack volunteered Will. Will shot Jack a look that could kill at the word 'whelp.'

Barbossa raised his eyebrows in silent question to Will. "I'll go, but next time let me make the choice to go Jack," Will told them.

They waited until well after dark and the town got loud and noisy with drunks. Just as the crew got together, Jack saw a couple of shadowy figures stumbling and staggering toward The Pearl. "Hold. I see someone coming. I could be Gibbs."

When the two got closer they could hear Gibbs and another voice raised in drunken harmony singing:

"We're rascals, scoundrels, villains an' knaves.

Drink up me 'earties, Yo Ho!

We're devils an' black sheep, an' really bad eggs!

Drink up me 'earties, Yo Ho!

Yo Ho, Yo Ho! A pirate's life fer me!"

"Yep, that be Gibbs," Jack smirked.

They helped Gibbs and his companion board. They saw the other man was Norrington and that he had only been acting drunk. He was dressed in worn clothes similar to a pirate. But they were clean. He was clean shaven, but his hair was un-powdered and loose. "I got your message, but thought it best to wait until dark. Lieutenant Groves has orders to take The Intrepid back to Port Royal and wait there. He thinks I am covertly going into a nest of pirates to catch the infamous Jack Sparrow."

"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack corrected, looking directly into Norrington's eyes. Jack sucked in his breath and made a grunting noise in the back of his throat. Norrington's eyes shone in the light from a lantern.

They were sea green. Jack looked Norrington up and down. _'Oh bugger. Tall, muscular, light brown hair and sea green eyes. Bloody hell, the green eyed man is Bloody Norrington. This is going to be more difficult than I thought. No worries, I will think of something. I always do.' _

"Is this your ship Captain?" Norrington smirked as he looked from Jack to Barbossa.

"Yes," Jack said at the same time Barbossa said, "No." They glared at one another. Will drew his sword as he stepped in between them. "Must I always keep you two apart?" They both just glared at each other over Will's shoulder.

"This be no time ta start that again," Gibbs said, suddenly sober. "Commodore, we need ta think of the bonnie lass layin' in the cabin. Not startin' an argument atween the Captains."

"You're right Mister Gibbs. So sorry. Where is she?" Norrington asked as he indicated that someone lead him to Niece. Barbossa's eyes narrowed and his lips thinned in a straight line. Jack did not miss the expression on Barbossa's face. Barbossa led the way to the cabin.

"Ah, the Captain's cabin," Norrington snidely remarked.

"Aye, it be the Captain's cabin," Barbossa swung around on Norrington, his hand going to the hilt of his sword. Norrington's hand did the same.

Will stepped in between the two with his sword raised going between the two of them. "At the moment, we are all gentlemen here with one purpose in mind. Now if you please?" And he indicated that they should enter the cabin.

Tia and Lydia rose as they entered. Tia's eyes narrowed as Norrington came into the light and then she slightly smiled. Jack was behind the other men and he nodded to her. She walked to Norrington putting her hand on his shoulder. "James Norrington you have a touch of destiny abou' you."

"We are not going through this again, Tia Dalma. I know I have it, the same as Will and Barbossa do," Norrington pushed her hand off his shoulder.

"Suit you self," Tia stepped away from him and over to Jack. Jack followed her to a corner.

"Why didn't ya know it was him?" Jack whispered.

"Him look as him looks now when I see him in my mind. Not like before, there is a big difference," Tia shrugged.

"Oh," was all Jack could say before they caught Barbossa's attention. "Tia says she is still the same." Jack said to cover their whispering.

Barbossa just stared back and forth from one to the other. Before he said, "As much as I loath to admit it. We need you as well as Norrington so could you see yer way clear to stop whisperin' and join us?"

Norrington sat on the bed next to Niece. Her eyes fluttered open, she stared for a moment at him then croaked, "Travis? How did you get here?"

"It isn't Travis my lady. It is James Norrington. I've come to help get you to where you can get medical attention," Norrington replied as he looked into her fever ridden ice blue eyes.

"Thank you, all of you," she whispered before she went back to sleep.

"Damn, I wish it hadn't taken as long as it did to find me," Norrington ran a hand through his hair as he stood up. "She does not look good in my opinion."

"That makes it unanimous," Barbossa agreed. "This is what we decided before we found you."

Barbossa explained that they would go directly to the cove where the battle had been. They couldn't take a chance on wasting more time by getting the two horses that they had used last. They would use horses that they found close by. But they weren't sure where they would end up when they went back.

The only ones to go back would be Jack, Norrington and Niece. The others would stay behind and take The Pearl out of sight of the island until they got word to come back. Norrington agreed that it was the best plan of action.

They put on as much sail as The Pearl would carry. The wind was strong ahead of a storm moving behind them so they made fast time. Marty and Gibbs went to get a couple of horses. Jack and Norrington changed into some clothes more suited to modern times. Lydia and Elizabeth changed Niece into more suitable clothes also.

They took Niece to shore and leaned her against a tree close to where the men had decided to clash the swords together from horseback. Marty and Gibbs came back with two less than fast looking horses. Jack and Norrington mounted up and the others stood back far enough so they wouldn't go also. The first pass they made nothing happened.

A/N: Yeah, I know you hate me. But I promise, you will find out all about Pegasus in the next chapter.


	14. Three Come and Go

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 14

"Lydia says the horses are too heavily built. They were bred for pulling not running, so are naturally slow," Will commented as he walked up to them with Barbossa following.

"And just what do ya propose we do ta get 'em ta move faster," Jack looked down his nose at Will while gesturing with his hands.

Will said. "Maybe, we will have to take the chance of firing a pistol behind each of them to startle them. That may make them move faster."

"Boy, for a _whelp_ ya surprise me more each day. That be pretty smart thinkin'. Shudda thought of that meself," Barbossa said as he turned to follow Norrington.

"Well, if that is what it takes to get you and Jack to quit calling me 'the whelp' it is worth it," Will commented as he turned to follow Jack.

"Just make sure ya don't shoot the nag or me, William," Jack looked down at Will.

"I won't, too much is at stake Jack. And as a smart man once told me, _'now is not the opportune moment'_," Will smiled slightly.

Jack nodded his thanks for the compliment. He knew how much that cost Will to say that. Will raised his pistol and shot it just as he heard Barbossa's pistol go off. The horses spooked and started running wildly at each other. The swords clashed.

This time there was the blinding light. Jack pulled his horse up but couldn't see just yet where they were. He turned the horse around and stopped where he thought Niece would be. He found Norrington already off his horse and on the ground next to Niece. He was checking to see how she had faired. "She is still breathing. Now where in the world are we," Norrington said as he looked around.

Jack looked around too, "Wait I hear cars, lots of them." He loped off on the horse to a hill a ways away. He disappeared over the hill and when he came back a few minutes later he said, "Being Johnny Depp can have its advantages at times." He held a cell phone out for Norrington to see. "Already have 911 on the line they are sending an ambulance. We are somewhere outside of San Diego along I-5. I saw some freeway signs. Do you have a good memory?"

"Yes," Norrington answered a little perplexed at first until Jack indicated with his sword to Norrington's sword.

You better hide the swords and take note of where they are. I don't have a good memory for that sort of thing. And we have to be able to find them to go back," Jack commented.

Norrington nodded and looked for a place to hide the swords. He found a good place. He checked all the surroundings and landmarks, committing them to his memory. Jack dismounted and checked on Niece. She was awake.

"Hey Niece, can you remember anything I tell you right now?" Jack asked her as he smiled at her.

"I think so. Where are we?" She looked around as she asked.

"Back in 2006 for the time being. Now listen we have to tell the same story and we have to stick to it," Jack said as Norrington walked up.

They decided the story would be that they had been taking a break from shooting a movie. They had been riding when Niece just fainted. And that her horse had run away to explain why there were only two horses. They had not been aware that Niece had been injured. But that she could have been injured in a sword fight scene earlier in the week. That was the truth anyway. They also decided to say that Niece hadn't thought the injury was that bad so hadn't told anyone. They would take these horses back to the stable and meet the paramedics and Niece at the hospital.

The ambulance came and the paramedics started her on an IV. They told Jack to which hospital they would take her and then left. Jack and Norrington found some where for the horses and talked someone into a ride so they could rent a car to go to the hospital.

The hospital believed the story when Jack and Norrington got there. They were permitted to see how Niece was doing, after she had been settled into a private room. They were told that she had an infection from the wound. That it might be a while before she woke up, since she had waited so long. The anti-biotic would work and bring the fever down. But the doctor didn't know when that might be.

They stayed until late in the afternoon before Niece woke up again. Norrington was sitting in a chair closest to the bed. He sat with his left elbow resting on the arm of the chair, his chin on that hand. His left foot was crossed on his right knee. He saw her first as she moved her head to look around. "Hey, welcome back. The doctor said the best thing was sleep for you now."

Jack looked around from the chair he had been sitting sideways in. His feet dangling over the arm of it. "Yeah, you had us worried there for a while."

Niece smiled slightly, started to speak but nothing came out. She saw a glass with water and took a sip, then said, "Yeah, well, I wasn't sure I was going to make it for a while either. It was like being in a foggy, soupy… I don't know, whatever. I still feel like shit. I can tell I still have a fever, but it must be down some. I only have this hot behind my eyelids thing going now."

"Yeah, the doc said it might take a while, but that your fever was already down a degree or two since you came in," Jack swung his leg back and forth. "How can you tell you still have a fever?"

"People in the medical profession can tell these things," Niece shrugged.

"I thought Lydia was the one in the medical profession? You said she was," Jack frowned.

"She is a nurse, so she knows more than I do. Which is what I said. I am just a paramedic. She just couldn't find things she was familiar with to help back there. Kinda makes you realize progress I guess," Niece explained. Niece always hated her feet and arms covered up so she kicked the blanket off her feet and pulled her arms out and set them on top on the blankets.

Both men were on the right side of the bed. Jack got up quickly and came to stand next to her. He felt her head but stood close enough to hide her right wrist from Norrington. "Dude, what are you doing?" She pushed his hand away from her head, giving him a jaundice look. "You're invading my space here."

"Too late Jack, I saw it," Norrington got up and took her hand.

She jerked her hand away, "Are you guys nuts or what?"

"You are Pegasus," Norrington indicated the tattoo.

"Yeah, I have a Pegasus tattoo. That doesn't make me Pegasus. I just have a tattoo. Why does everyone keep saying that? And I thought I was only supposed to keep Barbossa from seeing it. It is for my stage name in the knight re-enactments. Lydia has a unicorn, so?" Niece moved to the far side of the bed to get away from these two men she thought were crazy.

Norrington looked at Jack, "How long have you known?"

Jack sighed, letting his head drop back on his shoulders. Looking at Norrington out of the corner of his eyes he said, "Since the day after we got her back from you."

"Hello? I asked what my tattoo has to do with anything," Niece backhanded Jack up side his arm.

"Damn, woman, that stung," Jack said as he rubbed his arm. Norrington's eyebrows raised, his green eyes sparkled and he smirked trying not to laugh.

She made a snide face at Jack, "Good, at least I have your attention now. Or would you rather tell me what this is all about _James_." She emphasized his given name, turning her attention to him. Norrington sobered and stepped out of her reach.

"Pegasus is in the script. So far as the script is concerned only Tia has had a vision so far of 'the wing horse wo-man' as she calls Pegasus," Jack did a perfect imitation of Tia's accent, still rubbing his arm.

"And who is she? Come on spill it. You have to tell me now," Niece prodded, looking back and forth between them. Norrington sat back down in the same position he'd been in before. Jack sat down in his chair. He sat forward with his elbows on his knees. The fingers of one hand twisting one of his many rings around another finger.

"All right, from the beginning. Feel free to jump in anytime _James_," Jack accented Norrington's given name as Niece had. Norrington nodded and smiled tight lipped. Jack continued, "When we came back and ended up in Oregon we thought it was because Travis is James' older cousin."

"Travis is your real cousin? No wonder I always thought he looked more like Norrington than Jack," Niece exclaimed interrupting Jack. "That explains a lot."

"Yes, he is my real cousin," Norrington said. "Let Jack finish." Niece made a sarcastic look and directed it at Norrington.

"Well, now Tia, Elizabeth and I believe we went there to get you to come back with us. Pegasus is written into the script probably some where about where we were shooting. She has the tattoo in the same place as yours. So you have to be her. She is a female pirate captain of her own ship. It is called _The Thunder of Zeus_," Jack was interrupted by Niece again.

"Ah, Pegasus is said to be the one that brought thunder and lightning to Zeus. So I get the name of her ship. Whew who, I am a pirate captain of my own ship. Oops, sorry, go on," Niece thought aloud.

"Yes, so the myth says. The Zeus, as everyone calls it is the second fastest ship in the Caribbean. Barbossa knows this and will join with Pegasus against Beckett and Norrington. That is why you couldn't let Barbossa see the tattoo. And probably why James here shouldn't have seen it either. Any questions so far?" Jack stopped for a moment.

"I don't understand why they shouldn't have seen the tattoo since it is in the script," Niece replied.

"Because, you aren't on The Zeus and Norrington wasn't on The Pearl," Jack answered.

"Oh, now I am really confused," Niece threw up her hands.

"Well, I might help out there," Norrington said. "You see there was nothing in the script about me kidnapping you or leaving The Pearl. I was supposed to be on The Pearl to spy. I was supposed to see you while on The Pearl. When I left and took you, it messed things up. I just thought I could change the script enough so that I am not such a bad guy. I would catch Jack and I would be the hero in the end," Norrington confessed.

Jack rolled his eyes and looked at Norrington, "He is pretty bad for a while, so maybe the script hasn't changed that much. And he is back on The Pearl spying again. We aren't sure how the script ends. It is a secret until we shoot those last scenes."

"Oh now I get some of it anyway. But I thought directors and producers shot scenes randomly, not in order?" Niece asked.

"They do, but someone higher up wants a surprise ending that no one knows about so it can't be leaked out," Norrington said.

Jack fiddled with his beard braids and his rings. He still had the braids even though his wig was gone. Norrington was also fidgeting and changing positions. Niece narrowed her eyes watching them both. They were squirming like bugs stuck with a needle. "There is something you aren't telling me," Niece guessed.

"Yeah, I guess there is," Jack looked up, rubbed a hand across his face and said, "Just knowing you the short time I have. You aren't going to like it."

"Spit it out Jack," Niece demanded.

"There is another reason for them not to see your tattoo. Tia saw in her vision 'the winged horse woman', Barbossa and Norrington together," Jack cringed for the explosion that came.

"What?! Together how? That's disgusting!" She shrieked.

"I told you, you weren't going to like it," Jack shut one eye and cringed again.

"This is Disney," she said, "What the…. What are they thinking?"

"Well, we aren't sure. And get your mind out of the gutter. They aren't going to go where your mind is right now. But that is part of what we haven't been told," Jack shrugged.

"Well, he has already seen my breasts, "Niece mumbled, then continued, "Oh man, I don't know about this," Niece shook her head.

"Whoa back up, who has seen them?" Jack asked incredulous. He looked to Norrington.

Norrington held up his hands, "Don't look at me. But I would like to know who also."

"Barbossa has. Being a man I figured he would have said something about it by now. It was when Tia was doctoring my wound, the blanket slipped off when I threw plates, and forks and stuff at him," Niece shrugged it off.

"Now that I can believe," Norrington said. "I have been on the other end of thrown objects from you." Niece just glared at him.

"You can act, you have to doing re-enactments. You are good at it," Jack remarked to get back on subject..

"Yeah, I suppose I can, but I don't know if I want to go back. Except to get Lydia and our horses back to this time. I told you guys from the first that I wasn't into pain. There has been a lot of pain here," Niece shivered.

Norrington said, "Tell her the rest Jack." And Jack shot him a look that could kill. Niece expectantly looked at Jack.

"There will be more fighting. Just be careful and you shouldn't get hurt again," Jack shrugged.

"What about Lydia it could be her next time, she isn't as good of a fighter as I am. She hasn't been with the knights that long," Niece asked.

"That is why we decided that Will should be her protector. He is the best sword fighter among us. The script really has Elizabeth and Will back together. I was going to be either your or Lydia's protector. But it didn't turn out that way," Jack motioned then continued. "Oh yeah, it seems Pegasus may be a fickle female to say the least. Kind of like Elizabeth is. It seems she becomes curious about James over here too," Jack finished.

"Oh great, so she is a sleaze too," Niece rolled her eyes.

"No she is just fickle and curious. We don't know the ending. We have no idea what happens if anything between any of them," Norrington added.

"Well, I guess I have already played the sleaze by kissing both of you. So I won't bag out on you now," Niece groaned embarrassed.

"What's this? Another new development that I hadn't heard of?" Jack drew his head back, frowning at both of them.

"It seems our proper gentleman Norrington couldn't resist the charms of a sleeping woman in a bed," Niece sneered playfully at Norrington.

"Oh, is that all. Well, like James said, fickle and curious is all Pegasus is. It is expected of a female pirate captain anyway. Don't worry," Jack waved it off.

"Easy for you to say, you have done this lots of times. I haven't," Niece moaned this time covering her head with the blankets.

They stopped talking when a nurse entered the room. She made the men leave while she took Niece's vital signs and her temperature. Niece still had a slight fever. The doctor came in later and told them that as soon as her temperature was normal for one day she could be discharged.

Jack and James left later to get a motel room and so she could get some sleep. Her fever broke in the early morning hours and didn't come back. She was released with medication to take the day after that. The medication was to be taken for ten days, but they all decided that they need to get back soon. They would take the medication back with them and hope all worked out okay.

They stayed in the motel for one more day to be safe. Everything stayed fine. They left the next day, got the horses and tried to get back. It took several tries because the horses couldn't get up enough speed to get them back.

"Technically, they are four thousand year old horses. They need all the help they can get. James take your horse to the top of that hill. Jack take yours to the top of that other hill. Get them going as fast as you can down those hills. I will be waiting at the bottom. I hope it works this time," Niece scratched her head.

She waited at the bottom of the two hills. She prayed that the technically around four thousand year old horses wouldn't lose their footing. They didn't and it worked. When the blinding light faded they were back on the shore where the battle had been fought. There was no Black Pearl in sight.

Norrington looked around, "We could commandeer The Intrepid." They all laughed. "We really should change clothes quickly before someone comes upon us. Then decide what to do."

They found their clothes they had hidden. They went behind different bushes to change into them. "No peeking you nasty pirates," Niece teased.

"I will have you know I am a gentleman," Norrington sniffed.

"Yeeeah, just like you were back when I was sleeping after you kidnapped me?" Niece reminded him.

"A momentary lapse," Norrington defended.

Niece didn't like the way Norrington had his belts were so she rearranged them. Then she messed with his hair a bit while he sat there with a straight face.

Jack couldn't get his wig on straight and said, "Bugger, this thing is a piece of ….."

Niece laughed as she walked to him, "Get your hands down, and let me." And she straightened it and his bandana.

"Easy on the goods darlin'," he smirked at her.

"Funny Jack, real funny," she put her hands on either side of his face and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "That was a thank you for everything."

"Oh good god," Norrington rolled his eyes and leaned back against a tree behind him.

So she walked over to him and gave him the same treatment, except that she kissed one corner of his mouth and lingered. "Thank you James," she said in a sultry voice as she grinned as she walked away.


	15. Horses and Ships

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 15

"So what do we do now? Signal The Pearl somehow?" Niece asked as she walked up to the horses looking around.

"Well, I have to go into Port Royal. I need to report that nothing is happening so I am going to stay on The Pearl. I will use as my excuse that Jack Sparrow isn't on board at the moment, "Norrington caught up one of the horses and mounted up.

"We will look around and meet ya back here in a few hours. This time be sure ya don't bring any soldiers with ya," Jack frowned.

"I won't bring soldiers. I have to go so they don't send someone out looking for me though," Norrington supplied the information. He rode off in the direction of town.

"Can you trust him," Niece asked.

"As I have said before a dishonest man ya can always trust to be dishonest. It's the honest ones ya want ta watch out for. Ya can never predict when they are goin' ta do something incredibly stupid. But Norrington has been both, so your guess is as good as mine," Jack explained with hand gestures and exaggerated faces.

"Well, I am not going to just sit here. I am going to take that horse and ride up to that tall peak over there. It shouldn't take that long. Maybe I can see something from up there. You want to come along?" Niece pointed at the mountain and then turned to Jack.

"There is only one horse," Jack called attention to that fact.

Niece walked over to the horse, "He is a stout horse and…." She put her back to the horse's Chest. Put one hand over its nose. And stuck a thumb of the other hand in the corner of its mouth. The horse opened his mouth and she grabbed his tongue pulling it to the side.

"What are ya doin'?" Jack asked as he stuck out his tongue, making a chewing motion the same as the horse did.

"Looking at his teeth, I know horses and can see his age this way. He has wolf teeth so he is over five. But the grooves in his teeth are still pretty well pronounced, so he is well under ten. The grooves are gone at ten years so…. Hm, I would put him at around seven or eight years. That means we have no worries about him carrying double," she stated.

Jack shrugged then grimaced, remembering his encounter with her horse, "Interesting…. I ride in front, I am not slippin' off the back of him."

"I was goin' to suggest that anyway," Niece laughed also remembering Jack taking that header off Whitney. Jack mounted up.

Niece hit him on the leg, "How do you expect me to get up there when your foot is in the stirrup?" Jack pouted as he took his foot out of the stirrup and lifted his hands so she could grab into the saddle and slide up behind him.

"Thanks for the help Jack," Niece growled as she pulled and wiggled herself up behind him. _'Damn equine has to be at least seventeen hands tall. And I am just too short to be getting up here without Jack's help.'_ But she made it with lots of body contact with Jack. _'That didn't go unnoticed by him,'_ she thought sarcastically.

"Your welcome," Jack sulked. After all he wasn't that knowledgeable about horses.

The horse ducked his head, and did a couple of hopping steps with its rear legs. "Pull his head up, or we are going to get bucked off," Niece said as she reached around Jack for the reins.

Jack gave smug smile as he trapped her arms against his sides. He could feel her breasts against his back. "Hey, your as good as married, and this is uncalled for," Niece yanked her arms back and grabbed onto his belt instead. "Just keep his damn head up. He will get used to the idea in a while."

"Part of the script?" Jack tried to make his actions legitimate.

"No, I am not buying that," she said as she snuggled into the back of the saddle. She didn't want any more contact with Jack than she had to now that he was teasing her.

They made good time up the mountain winding through and around all the mangrove, banana and other trees. The undergrowth wasn't as dense as it had been down below. That helped the horse since the mountain was steep in spots.

They got close to the top of the peak before it got too steep. It was only about one hundred yards from the top. They dismounted and tied the horse to a banana tree. Then picked their way to the top, half the time using the trees for hand holds. Jack offered his hand to her several times and pulled her up over rocks. They both were winded when they made it to the apex. They could see in all directions. Jack handed her his spy glass and pointed to a spot on the far side of the island.

"Look I can see the Whitney and the other horses from here," Niece squealed as she flung herself at Jack and hugged him.

He automatically caught her and wrapped his arms around her. "I told ya they would be fine. Didn't ya believe me?"

"Truthfully? Hm, no. I didn't know I could trust a dishonest man," she giggled as she unwound herself from his arms. He rolled his eyes as she used his words against him. He took his spy glass and looked at a ship in the cove by the horses. Then moved it to another spot closer to this side of the island.

"There is a ship in the cove by Whitney and the other horses. Is it The Pearl?" She asked as she shaded her eyes to get a better look. "Can we signal them?"

"Yes, it is The Pearl, and no we aren't goin' ta signal that ship. We are goin' ta signal that ship," and he pointed to another ship in a secluded cove closer to where they were.

"That ship?' Niece looked at Jack and then to where he was pointing. "What ship is that?"

"You don't recognize your own ship?" Jack half closed his eyes and looked down his nose at her. He gave her an 'I know something you don't know' grin.

"Ah, The Thunder of Zeus," she looked again at the ship that was hers.

"The Zeus," Jack confirmed. He put his spy glass up to his eye again and looked to the town. "I see Norrington is still at the fort. But he is outside and looks to be finishing his business. Let's wait until he leaves before we signal The Zeus and head down the mountain. I want to make sure he does as he said he would."

"All right, I do have some questions though," Niece reluctantly admitted.

"Ask now then, because you are goin' ta have ta watch what ya say when we get back down there," Jack said as he watched Norrington's movements through the glass.

"I don't know anything about sailing a ship, the crew or… Just nothing about it," Niece shrugged.

"Barbossa has already taken over captaining The Zeus. So no worries," Jack squinted as he looked through the glass. He pulled his head away, squinted some more, and then looked through the glass again.

"Huh? How did Barbossa……"

Jack interrupted, "He came across The Zeus, and commandeered it while the captain…. You, were off on land some where," Jack was intent on looking through the glass at Norrington.

"I see," Niece frowned with a puzzled look on her face. "What about the crew?"

"Ya will find that your crew are the people ya know from the pirate re-enactments. So they know ya and you will know them. I will stay on The Pearl and captain it," Jack nonchalantly replied. Still studying Norrington. He suddenly moved the glass to The Zeus, switching to The Pearl and back to The Zeus.

"Travis?" Niece asked expectantly.

"No, there are already complications without Travis," Jack said absent-mindedly. More interested in what he was seeing through the glass.

"Oh," Niece frowned and snapped her fingers in disappointment. Jack took the glass away from his eye to look at her. He raised his eyebrows in question. She grinned shyly and shrugged. Jack nodded in understanding, putting the glass back to his eye.

"Norrington's leavin'," Jack took the glass away again. He turned and checked the sun and flashed the glass at The Zeus. He waited then kept flashing it until he got and answering flash. "Your ship thinks it is you signaling them, and knows where to meet us. I'll explain the rest on the way down the mountain" Jack said before Niece could ask any questions.

They slid back down to the horse, mounted and made it back to the beach in good time. Norrington was already there but didn't seem upset that they had been gone. Jack explained what had happened to Norrington. He finished just as The Zeus sailed in around the jut of land that made the cove. Some of the crew lowered a longboat and rowed to shore. She could see Barbossa was in the longboat at the front.

"Oh shit, knock me out. I can't get into that boat unless you do," Niece asked Jack, as she was already looking for an escape route. "Hurry Jack, I can feel it coming on me," Niece started to breathe faster, dancing around, turning this way and that, trying not to bolt.

Norrington had no idea what was going on and stood perplexed. His eyebrows rose at her antics. Barbossa was waving his arms, he shouted to Jack to knock her out and quick before she ran amuck.

"Catch her," Jack said to Norrington who was standing behind Niece. As gently as he could Jack hit her on the point of her chin.

Norrington caught her and lifted her up into his arms, "What was that all about?"

"She is afraid of the water in small boats. She panics to the point of hysteria and is out of control," Jack replied simply. "Ya shudda seen what she did to me and a few others the last time we tried to put her in a longboat."

Norrington just laughed as he carried her to the longboat. Barbossa put out his arms for her. Norrington's smile faded, he stopped for a few heartbeats. Staring Barbossa down before he handed her over to the captain.

"I won't hurt her," Barbossa snidely said to Norrington.

"At least ya knew what ta do ta get the Capt'n on board," one of her crew said to Jack.

Barbossa swung around with the unconscious Niece in his arms, "What did ya say?"

"_Captain_ Barbossa now would be a good time to make haste before she wakes," Norrington distracted Barbossa. Jack and he jumped into the boat and started rowing almost before Barbossa could sit down with Niece cradled in his lap.

"Ah, so Jack told ya about how she gets unmanageable in this situation?" Barbossa laughed. "Did he tell ya what she did ta him?"

"No, he failed to mention that," Norrington smirked, "Do tell though."

It took Barbossa the trip back to relate how Niece had almost made a eunuch of Jack. Then she tried to scalp him with her bare hands. This was at Jack's displeasure for being the target of everyone's laughter.

Barbossa made it about as far as Jack had up the ladder to the deck when Niece came to. It was his displeasure to be kneed and then stepped on in the groin. Niece tried to crawl up and over him to get on deck. Next she knocked his hat off in the process. As he grabbed for it she finished using him as a ladder and got up on deck. All the while she was screaming like a banshee from the second she woke up.

Gibbs was on board and crossed himself whispering an incantation. He held out a hand to help her on deck and she almost pulled him over the side. "Mother's love, Lass. Leave me some skin on me hand." Gibbs said and he pried his hand out of hers.

Jack, Norrington and the rest of the crew had to wait to climb up because they were laughing so hard. "Oh, shut it," Barbossa growled, "Or I will leave the lot of ya for fish bait."

He turned to see Niece hugging Gibbs. Her arms around the old sailor's neck caused her shirt sleeves to be pulled up above her wrists. His eyes got big and he made a growling noise in his throat as he strode towards her.


	16. Treasure, Turquoise and Silver

A/N: Kind of a shorter chapter. I wanted to get something up. The beginning is kind of exciting and then it drops off a bit at the end. But next chapter is going to be very eventful.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 16

Niece heard a noise like a growl coming from behind Gibbs. She furrowed her eyebrows, wrinkled her nose and peeked around Gibbs. And saw Barbossa with his head down striding purposefully towards them. His blue eyes piercing hers, she knew he had a purpose that was not good. She squeaked as her eyes grew as big as saucers. Gibbs drew back from her far enough to see why she squeaked. He his brow also furrowed as he followed her gaze with his.

Gibbs saw Barbossa charging toward them like a mad bull, he crossed himself. He elbowed his way around behind Niece. Barbossa got closer, Niece turned around, grabbed Gibbs coat and put him in between she and Barbossa.

Gibbs' eyes got huge, he kept crossing himself, saying, "Lord deliver us." Again he put Niece between him and Barbossa. They kept backing away changing positions.

From down in the longboat Jack and Norrington heard the bellow from Barbossa. Simultaneously they looked at each other and said, "Not good." They both scrambled up the rope ladder to The Zeus' deck, knowing why Barbossa had bellowed in the first place. Jack beat Norrington and half crawled, half jumped over the railing as he made haste to put himself between Barbossa and Niece. He almost fell as he slid to a stop on the clean deck of The Zeus in front of Barbossa. His hands waving to balance himself.

Niece gave up trying to get behind Gibbs for protection. When Norrington stepped in front of her she thought, _"Norrington is better with a sword than that lily livered Gibbs anyway. Obviously Gibbs isn't going to be much protection. And Jack is way too close to Barbossa for my piece of mind. Geeze, I will stay behind Norrington, if Barbossa is as pissed as he looks. Shit, he looks pissed enough to even kill Jack.'_ She peeked from behind Norrington, as she latched onto the back of his coat.

The gentlemanly side coming out in Norrington, he put his arm back to push her farther behind him. She peeked from under his arm wanting to know where Barbossa was at all times. She saw Jack standing in front of Barbossa with his hands up to stop Barbossa. Barbossa growled again as he drew his sword. Jack drew his at the same time. They pointed them at each other.

"Get out of me way, Jack," Barbossa said too sweetly.

"You don't want ta be doin' what yer thinkin' mate. Savvy?" Jack expression was dead serious. His teeth clinched in determination.

"No, I think I do, Jack," Barbossa said as he touched his sword to Jack's.

"No ya don't. I didn't save her life ta have ya end it," Jack countered the slight touch of Barbossa's sword.

"Ya knew who she was and didn't tell me?" Barbossa stepped to the side, making two moves to thrust his sword at Jack. Jack easily parried them.

"Yes, I knew. I also knew we needed her ship," Jack said as they did the dance of sword masters for a few moments.

"Just hear me out, mate. You have two ships now, the beginning of your own fleet. Ah, but they each need a captain. So name me captain of The Pearl. Of course, you will take the biggest and newest of the two, The Zeus. But what of her loyal crew? They might mutiny if you kill their captain," Jack reasoned with Barbossa.

Barbossa lowered his sword but kept it ready until Jack also lowered his. "I s'pose that's why you want me not ta kill the woman?" Barbossa growled. "I should run ya both through. I don't like things being made the fool."

"You are not a fool, Barbossa. Her identity was only kept a secret until the opportune moment," Jack justified their reason for not telling him sooner.

"So ya figured ta use her and The Zeus for bargaining ta get The Pearl ta yerself?" Barbossa narrowed one eye as he looked at Jack out of the corner of it.

Jack put a finger to his bottom lip, and stood for a moment. He looked up and down, then at Barbossa, shrugged and simply said, "Yeah."

"I only want one small change in our agreement before I acquiesce. I will take Captain Pegasus with me on board The Pearl and you will captain The Zeus. That way I have leverage against her crew for ya, Jack," Barbossa counter-offered.

Niece made a noise in her throat as she caught Jack's eye. He made eye contact warning her to keep quiet. Knowing he was not going to get Barbossa to agree with anything less, he said, "We have an accord."

"We do," said Barbossa. "Gibbs, take Captain Pegasus to her cabin." He looked Norrington up and down, "You will go with us ta The Pearl. I don't trust ya out of my sight. Now, Captain Jack, set a course for the other side of the island ta meet up with The Pearl."

"As you wish Captain Barbossa," Norrington nodded as he unloosed Niece's fingers from his coat and gave her over to Gibbs. Niece was in such a state of shock at what had transpired that she walked woodenly to the cabin.

Jack mumbled, "It is about time I get some acknowledgment that I am a captain."

Gibbs tried to console her, "Don't worry Lass, Cap'n Jack won't let anything bad happen ta ya."

"I am not worried about now. I am worried about after Jack isn't there to protect me from Barbossa," Niece sighed.

"Then the former Commodore will be there. Barbossa won't be doin' anything ta ya Lass as long as one of them are on The Pearl," Gibbs reassured her.

"I hope you are right Mister Gibbs," Niece said in a defeated tone.

Niece sighed as Gibbs closed the door behind him. She heard the lock click. _'Well, I might as well check out this cabin that is supposed to be mine,'_ she thought. She sighed again and surveyed the cabin. It was bigger than the captain's cabin on The Pearl. Like The Pearl, most everything was nailed or chained down against the roll of the ship. The chairs being the only exceptions. The walls were made of a very dark brown wood, as were most of the other furnishings. Everything was neat and tidy unlike the captain's cabin on The Pearl.

The bed was bigger and canopied. It was in the far right hand corner, by one of the windows that opened to the back of the ship. She frowned and then smiled as she noticed that everything was black and gold. The curtains, canopy, blankets, all black and trimmed with gold braid.

She noticed a set of doors next. She went to them, and they opened when she tried them. There was a small balcony that she stepped out onto. She walked to the right and looked over the railing into the deep turquoise sea sliding past the ship. She followed the railing around and to the left side. There was no escape down, except into the sea. She wasn't going to go there. She looked up to the left following the smooth back of the ship to the railing above.

She felt something small and hard hit her on the back, _'Oh great, that's all I need about now is for some seagull to crap all over me.'_ She was turning around as far as she could to look at the back of her coat when another something hit her on the head. Her hand automatically went to her head, she gently felt around with two fingers. But she didn't feel anything wet.

It happened again and she looked up at the right hand side of the helm. Norrington was leaning his elbows on the railing. One booted foot propped up on the bottom of the railing. His hands dangling, he was flipping something at her to get her attention. He smiled a gorgeous half crooked smile at her, his sea green eyes sparkling.

She swallowed loudly as she thought, _"Oh I am such a sucker for your eyes. They are just like your cousin's. Don't you dare make me fall for you. What am I thinking? This isn't real, it can never be. But maybe it is supposed to be, here at least. I have to keep my wits about me. I have to keep reminding myself that I am acting.'_ She smiled back.

He suddenly motioned for her to go back inside. She now trusted him, so hurried to get out of sight. Just as she closed the door, she heard Barbossa say, "What be ya lookin' at Norrington?"

Norrington answered, "Nothing but the sea, Barbossa."

Niece continued her perusal of her cabin. She found an armoire and chest full of all different kinds of clothes. Pants, shirts, dresses and they all looked to be her size. She got some fresh black pants and a rust colored shirt and changed into them quickly. They must be hers because they fit perfectly.

She found some other things, including rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces. She was surprised that all of the jewelry was Turquoise. But then she shouldn't have been. She had always loved Turquoise jewelry.

She had researched all about it. She knew it dated back as far as 6000 BC and that it was used by the Egyptians. In the Orient, Turquoise rings were worn to protect against all things evil. She was superstitious enough to believe that one ring in particular, gave her luck and wore it unless she was jousting. She hadn't had it on when she came here because of the joust practice. Prehistoric Indians wore Turquoise on their bodies and in ceremonies. They thought it was a divining device between the god of the sky being alive in the earth.

She picked out several rings and put them on. Including one with a Pegasus across the top of it. It was a big ring, so she put it on the thumb of her left hand. She also put one on the middle and pinky fingers of that hand. On her right hand she put one on the index, middle and pinky fingers. She picked out two necklaces and put them on with her silver horse necklace. She found a bracelet for each wrist that she liked. The one on her right wrist had a Pegasus on it also. She didn't put on any earrings. She didn't know how active she was going to be and didn't want them ripped out of her ears.

She continued around looking at everything. Books that she thumbed through, they were all of subjects she was interested in. Charts and a journal, paper, quills and an ink pot. She glanced at the journal as her fingers ran across it. _'I wonder,_' she thought as she picked it up and opened it. She almost dropped it as her own handwriting jumped out at her. _'Jesus, Mary and Joseph, it is my handwriting. This is too weird and spooky. This is one time I agree with Gibbs.'_ She crossed herself, whispering, "Lord deliver me."

She moved on to a ledge made into the side of the ship. There was a brush and comb. Some thin strips of cloth to tie her hair back. A couple of folded bandanas, both black. Some black greasy stuff that she wasn't sure about. Then it hit her. A picture of Jack's eyes came to mind. It must be to help with the glare. Like some football players used under their eyes.

She heard boot steps coming toward the door. She backed up until the desk was behind her. She absently rolled the Pegasus ring around on her thumb. She always did this as a ritual for good luck. A key sounded in the door, it opened. Niece held her breath.


	17. Pirates!

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 17

The door opened quickly, Niece jumped even thought she knew it was going to open. She took two gasping breaths, whispering between breaths. "Shit, you scared the wits out of me Jack." She visibly relaxed, before asking, "Where are the rest of Barbossa's crew? Where is Lydia? Where is Barbossa, and exactly what are his plans for Captain Pegasus?"

Jack sauntered into the room, waving his hands, gesturing for her to stop. He paused, staring at her waiting for her to get done. When she kept talking he walked, pointing and touching everything in the cabin.

When she ran out of breath and stopped, he explained what was happening in his hard to decipher way, "The only ones here are Barbossa, Gibbs and now me and Norrington. He even left the other _Jack_ on The Pearl. Ya see Luv, after Barbossa commandeered yer ship he told yer crew that he already had ya. Being a pirate and a smart captain, he knew it would only be a matter of time before he found ya. Ya just kinda fell inta his hands through me." Jack smiled his sexy wicked smile, his chocolate brown eyes flashing at her.

"You planned this? All of it?" She asked as she made a little snorting noise. She started to finger the necklaces around her neck. She felt the horse hanging on its chain. She took it and slid it back and forth on the chain. She continued putting the chain in and out between her lips.

"Pretty much. Time and tide, Luv," he groaned deep in his throat watching the chain and her lips. He grimaced, squinted his eyes and smiled. And then waved his hand at her mouth, "Do ya know how completely erotic that thing ya do with that necklace is?"

"Huh? Oh….," She dropped the necklace back in place.

"Ya also have a bad habit of interrupting people in the middle of a story?" He commented, changing the subject back to one he was comfortable with.

She shrugged and smiled, "Yeah, I know."

"Well Luv, Barbossa and I had a little parley. Barbossa isn't too fond of the fact that he thinks we lied ta him," Jack continued.

Jack picked through the things on the ledge and put them back. He drawled, "Darlin' he doesn't entirely trust us." He stopped again as his eyes fell on her jewelry. He narrowed his eyes and shifted them to Niece without turning his head, and then back to the jewelry. But he continued on towards the desk. Niece didn't miss his interest in her valued Turquoise.

"Although, I explained in precise detail that we hadn't actually lied. We just didn't voluntarily, volunteer the fact that you were indeed and in fact Pegasus." Jack hurriedly said as he stopped next at the desk that held the charts.

He looked through them as he explained, "I pointed out that he has in fact committed mutiny so he is the one that should not be entirely trusted." Jack stopped as his hair fell over his shoulder and he flipped it back where it belonged. He moseyed with his hands at his sides to where her jewelry was. He stopped again, checked to see if she was watching and then continued to the bed. He pushed on it, grinned his gold teeth gleaming as he said, "Soft, just like a woman."

"Jack," Niece enunciated slowly.

Jack waved his hand dismissing her. And stuck his nose in the air, pouting at her over it, before he continued, "You did it to me a minute ago with that necklace." He pouted.

"Jack!" She raised her voice. "You are acting like a child. Two wrongs don't make it right."

"Fine," he pouted again. "I told him that we on the other hand should be trusted because we are dishonest and we can be trusted to be dishonest."

Niece decided to bait him as he nonchalantly moved toward her jewelry again. She thought, _'Jack is being entirely too shifty when he is around my jewelry. I wonder if given the chance he would try to pocket some of it? He admits he is dishonest and I can trust him to be dishonest. I am going to see just how dishonest he is.'_ She walked to the ledge and made a pretence of brushing and braiding her waist length blonde hair. There was something similar to a mirror by the brush and comb. She waited until his attention was on the bed, as he sat and bounced up and down on it. That was when she propped the mirror like object up to reflect where her jewelry was.

"I indicated that you are a pirate, just like he is. And that that is something he will have to square with one day," Jack said as she saw him look at her back and the jewelry. He sidled over to it and picked up a ring and bracelet. Looked at them quickly, looked at her and then pocketed them. "He agreed that he would not harm ya on fear of pain and death. But he will take ya ta The Pearl as leverage ta keep yer crew from doin' anything stupid."

Niece finished tying a strip of cloth around her braid and turned to saunter seductively toward Jack. His eyebrows went up and he grinned his gold toothed smile. "Jack?" She said sweetly.

"What Luv?" he grinned at her as she moved closer to him, putting her hand on his chest. He smiled wickedly as he backed up.

"Thank you for making Barbossa acquiesce to your request not to harm me," she smiled seductively as the back of his legs hit the bed and he abruptly sat on it.

She pushed him back until he was laying on it. She put her left knee on the bed in between his legs. His eyebrows went up in amusement, his eyes shifted to her knee. His smile became more wicked as his chocolate brown eyes shifted back to capture her ice blue eyes. Her mouth parted and she ran her tongue along her upper teeth, her eyes never leaving his. She slid both her hands up his body, her left hand coming into contact with his pistol. She slipped it out of his waistband without his knowledge. Laying half on top of him she lowered her lips to a mere breadth away from his.

She touched her tongue to his bottom lip, "Jack?" She purred seductively against his lips as they parted for her kiss.

"Yes Luv?" He whispered huskily.

"You bloody thief," she growled as she cocked the pistol pushing it against the bottom of his chin.

He swallowed at the ominous click and ground out through a close mouth, "Pirate. Ya should know pirates do this sort of thing a lot."

"Give 'em back," she growled again as she pushed the pistol harder against his chin.

He swallowed again and said through a closed mouth, "I will as soon as ya let me up Luv. For some reason the moment has past." He reached into his pocket and produced the two items in question pushing them into the hand that held his pistol. She let him up but kept the pistol.

The door burst open. Barbossa stood just inside of it. He growled like a wild beast and lunged at them. Niece rolled over and jumped off the bed to stand at the end of it. Barbossa grabbed Jack by his shirt front and jerked him up off the bed. He spat, "What do ya think ya are doin' ta the woman, Jack?"

"Nothing Barbossa, it was an honest mistake, honestly," Jack put his hands on Barbossa's hands, that had moved to his throat.

"Captains?" Niece had un-cocked the pistol, but re-cocked it. The sound was loud in the suddenly quiet room.

"What?" They both snapped simultaneously.

Niece backed around toward the door, "Let Jack go Captain Barbossa. Now."

"Ya gave the wench a pistol?" Barbossa said as he let Jack go and backed away from him.

"No, I did not. She took it. She tricked me," Jack sulked.

"Pirate," Niece said snottily.

"And just how did she get the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow's pistol?" Barbossa smirked.

"I absolutely hate it when you talk as if I am not in the room," Niece informed Barbossa. "The infamous Captain Jack thought he could steal from the infamous Captain Pegasus'. I caught him and used my best wench impersonation to get it back is all." She continued to back towards the door.

"So what now Missy? You can't get off the ship," Barbossa questioned.

"No, but this is my crew and you are out numbered. I have the advantage and will take back control of my ship," She nodded. She saw both of their eyes shift off of her to some where behind her. She sucked in her breath as she turned, Norrington's hand wrapped around her wrist, jerking her hand up.

The pistol went off and Norrington grabbed it with his other hand as he said, "I can't let you do that, so sorry." Jack ducked and covered his head as the pistol went off. Barbossa just rolled his eyes as he came toward the struggling Niece and Norrington.

She fought to keep a hold on the pistol. But finally decided since it was a single shot, it would do her no good. Being mad about Norrington's interruption, she lashed out by stomping on his foot as hard as she could. Then she ground her heel into his instep. She figured kicking him in the shin wouldn't do much damage, since his boot tops were at his knees.

"Ouch, you little pirate wench," Norrington said as he hopped around holding his injured foot. Barbossa rubbed his hand down his face watching her attack on Norrington. Jack's eyebrows went up and he covered his mouth with the pretext of rubbing his nose.

"Serves you right, and that is Captain Pegasus to you, not pirate wench," she stabbed him in the arm with her finger nail. She smiled snidely as she was rewarded with another yelp of pain. He still hopped around but grabbed and rubbed his arm instead.

Jack drew her attention as he made a snorting noise in the back of his throat. She turned on him and purposely strode toward him. Barbossa backed off in mock fear until she got by him far enough for him to wrap his arms over hers and pick her up off the floor. "Enough Missy!"

"Let me down you dirty, stinking, slack jawed idiot," she screamed and she fought and struggled against him. She tried to mule kick him. But he was prepared for it. She tried to kick him in the groin. He waited until both her legs were in between his. He dropped her down enough that her rear rested against his groin. Then he closed his legs around hers. She was trapped.

"Get out of here," Barbossa yelled at Jack and Norrington.

They both left. Jack said as he closed the door, "Remember out agreement Barbossa. I will be right outside the door."

"Arrr, get out. I will be right behind ya. I am not staying here with this she-devil," Barbossa yelled. As soon as Jack closed the door Barbossa backed them both to the door. He let go of her by pushing her into the room. He left quickly locking the door. He heard her scream and curse, and then objects hitting the door.

"When ya get yer senses back enough ta talk come out onto the balcony at the back of yer cabin," Barbossa yelled at her through the door. He twisted to see the crew staring at him. "What are ya lookin' at? Back ta work!"

"Sail, Ho," Gibbs yelled down from the crows nest.


	18. A Duel of More Than Words

A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than some of the others, but it has been a while since I was able to update. I felt I should give my readers a little something.

About time to stick in another disclaimer too.

Disclaimer: I don't own or have claim to anything to do with the Disney characters or anything to do with either of the movies. I just lay claim to my OC's.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 18

Niece was so mad she was still screaming and didn't hear that Gibbs had sighted a sail. She was ranting and cussing at Barbossa instead. She beat on the door with her fists until she decided it wasn't doing her any good at all. Besides it hurt and cut her fists. So she wouldn't hurt her foot also, she kicked the door with the heel of her boot. She stuck one bloody knuckle in her mouth and sucked on it.

That made her quiet enough, so she could hear raised voices giving orders from the helm. _'So he is already up at the helm is he? Well he is going to get another piece of my mind. Wait a minute, on second thought, the damnable pirate won't even acknowledge me if I do that. I will have to be nice for now. I can get my revenge later.' _She thought as she went out onto the balcony to look up above. "Barbossa, come here so I can talk to you," she shouted up at the helm. "Are ya ready ta talk rationally, Missy?" Barbossa said from just out of her sight. "Yes, damn you," Niece grumbled. "What is going on? I hate that I don't know what is going on up there." "Curiosity huh? Well, if ya swear on fear of pain and death, that ya won't try anything stupid. And ya will quit swearing at me. Ya can come up and see fer yer self," Barbossa peered over the rail at her.

"I swear," Niece conceded. Barbossa disappeared. She heard his boots on the stairs coming down to the deck. She went inside and to the door. It wasn't long until he opened the door and stepped back, giving her a slight bow. While politely motioning her to exit, by sweeping an arm in front of himself.

"Amusing, real amusing Barbossa,' She scoffed as she swept past him and onto deck.

"Be nice, or ya will be right back where ya started," Barbossa laughed as he followed her on deck.

She seethed inside, but she turned, put a fake smile on her face and curtsied, "By your leave Captain."

Gibbs had a coughing fit up in the crow's nest, as Jack roared with laughter. Norrington was leaning with his back against the rail of the ship, his elbows resting on the rail. One booted leg was bent at the knee, a heel resting on a cannon wheel. He smiled a knowing smile, and nodded his head in approval at her. She caught his eye and grinned. Barbossa rolled his eyes and shook his head, as he gave into a smile also.

Out of the corner of her eye, Niece caught something scurrying from one hiding place to another. She thought it was Jack the monkey. She looked quickly at Barbossa, but remembered that the Jack in question was on The Pearl. She stared at the place the creature last disappeared. A frown on her face as she side stepped around to get a better look.

A black cat ran out from its hiding place and right under her feet. She squeaked as she tried to get out of its path. She borrowed Gibbs antidote for superstitions and crossed herself. She ran to hide behind Barbossa. The cat hissed and yowled as it ran by.

"Oh shut up you little hairy beast," she hissed back as she peeked from behind Barbossa to see where the black cat had gone to. "Throw that bad luck sign off this ship at the next possible port, Barbossa. In the mean time keep it away from me. I have had enough bad luck to last me two lifetimes."

Barbossa looked at her like she was crazy. She snapped quickly, "The black cat I just saw. I love cats, but have always stayed clear of black ones. Ohhhh," She visibly shivered. Barbossa just raised his eyebrows as he rolled his eyes.

"Blast, Lass, it be frightful bad luck ta throw the cat overboard. Even in a port. It be even worse frightful bad luck if the cat is not content while on the ship. Black cats be good luck on a ship. They be seeing us home safe," Gibbs said as he slid down a rope to the deck.

"You're joking?" Niece said incredulous.

"No, miss he is tellin' it the way it be," Barbossa confirmed what Gibbs had said. He looked over his shoulder and down at her. She turned to look at Jack and Norrington, they both shook their head's 'yes.' Still not sure if they were pulling her leg or not she looked to her crew. They also agreed.

"Hmmm," was all she said as she came out from behind Barbossa. She looked for the cat and found it rubbing against Norrington's arm on the railing as he scratched it under the chin.

"His name be…." Gibbs was interrupted by Niece. "Don't tell me, let me guess. Is it Jack?"

Gibbs snorted, "Aye, it be Jack Tar, but we just call him Tar."

Jack was up by the helm, but was looking off with his spyglass towards the east. He scoffed but kept looking through his spyglass. A man she recognized as one of her crew was at the helm. "It be The Pearl coming up on us," he shouted down to the rest of them.

"The Pearl is coming?" Niece asked as she shaded her eyes to look in the direction Jack was looking. She couldn't see anything from down on the deck though.

"Well, ya might have heard Gibbs had sighted a ship. If ya hadn't been having a fit down in yer cabin," Barbossa stated bluntly.

Niece wrinkled her nose and sneered at him. "Well, if Jack hadn't tried to pocket some of my possessions. And then you hadn't jumped to the wrong conclusion. I wouldn't have been having a fit and would have heard Mister Gibbs."

Barbossa dismissed her with a wave of his hand, "If ya want any of yer things with ya on The Pearl, get them now."

"I want to stay on my ship," Niece stomped her foot.

"No," Barbossa simply said.

"No?" Niece narrowed her eyes in warning.

"No, you are going with me, Mister Gibbs and Mister Norrington," and Barbossa turned and left her to stare holes in his back. He went to the helm taking out his own spyglass to look towards The Pearl.

Jack gave orders to drop canvas so The Pearl could catch them faster. They did and slowly stopped and dropped anchor. The Pearl slid slowly up beside them and they threw ropes and lashed the ships together. She saw Lydia and they talked back and forth from the decks of the two ships. Lydia was glad to see that she was all right. Lydia told Niece that Tia had told her all about Captain Pegasus and The Zeus after Barbossa had commandeered it. As this was happening a man that Niece knew as Robert Hawke walked up to Barbossa.

"Captain Barbossa, I would like ta talk with Captain Pegasus, if ye don't mind Sir?" Robert asked.

"Go ahead boy, ye be her first mate," Barbossa said.

Robert walked up to Niece, "Captain, what be yer orders fer us? We will do as ya say, no matter the consequences."

"Do as Captain Sparrow tells you Mister Hawke. I will be safe on The Pearl. I have Lydia and Will by my side," Niece clapped him on the arm.

"No, Missy, ye won't," Barbossa commented from behind her.

"What?" Niece swung around on him.

"Will is needed on The Zeus, and Lydia is under his protection. They as well as Tia and Elizabeth, will come over here ta keep an eye on Jack and yer crew. I don't need ta have anyone for ya ta turn against me on The Pearl," Barbossa alleged.

"I wouldn't do that after I promised that I wouldn't," Niece argued.

"Ye have said yer self that ye are a pirate. Pirates do what is necessary only to make it better for them selves. Acquiescing to not trying something to get yer ship back would be against what ye have said," Barbossa shrugged.

Niece mulled that around in her mind to make sense of it. She shook her head, sighed, as she moved closer to whisper in his ear. The front of her left shoulder came into contact with the front of his right shoulder. "Well, it is useless to argue with you. And because it is useless, I still believe that you are not what you seem, Barbossa." She backed away a step, before continuing in a normal voice, "I should know what I would or would not do."

He smiled wickedly at her as he chucked her under the chin, "Ye better get what ye want out of yer cabin and have it taken ta The Pearl. Ye may have the cabin next ta mine, now that it be empty." Then he turned to Gibbs and Norrington, "Ye may have yer cabin back Mister Gibbs and Mister Norrington ya can sleep where the crew sleeps."

She frowned at him she grabbed his hand to push it away, "Since I am your prisoner, maybe I should stay in the brig. And don't touch me Captain."

Barbossa turned back to her with his wickedly sexy smirk. He grabbed her braid at the back of her neck and pulled her close to him. His breath tickled her ear as his cheek touched hers. He whispered, "I do as I please, Missy. I am a pirate. I will touch ya when and where I want and in front of who I want. Maybe I should move ya ta me own cabin, hm?" When he saw he had the attention of all of those that could see from both ships, he whispered, "Ya best show yer crew that ye have feelings for me and will be under my protection while on The Pearl."

Niece drew back enough to glare at him. Then she remembered how the crew of The Pearl had treated her before. She thought better of arguing with him about it now. She put her hands on his cheeks. Pulling his mouth to hers, she put on quite a show of hungrily kissing him in front of both crews. She smiled against his lips as she felt his shock at her action.

Then she felt him smile as he parted his lips for her kiss. She deepened the kiss as she teased his tongue with hers. He teased her back by making her chase his tongue. Then he took over and dueled with her in a kiss that was searing. The friction of both his hands sliding down her back to pull her body into his was heady. Her body jerked and molded to his, when his hands came across a ticklish spot. She felt him smile again and stop his hands at the spot. He fluttered his fingers at the small of her back. So she would involuntarily wiggle closer to him, to get away from the tickling.

Gibbs cleared his throat loudly at the mutterings of some of both of the crew members. Barbossa broke apart first, but stared with wonder into her ice blue eyes. He gently set her from him. She did her own version of a sensual half smile as she walked to her cabin.

A/N: Ahhh, I know my faithful reviewers are going to be upset by where I stopped this chapter. But more is to come, you will just have to wait and see.


	19. Barbossa or Norrington

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 19

Niece hesitated, looked at Norrington and Tar. The look on his face was not a happy one. But as she looked at him he raised his eyebrows in silent question anyway.

She smiled at him, and turned her head to call back over her shoulder, "Ah, Captain Barbossa, even if I am… Uh… Shall we say your guest aboard The Black Pearl. I expect you to show me the respect I deserve by calling me, Captain Pegasus." And she turned her head and continued with Gibbs towards her cabin. Barbossa sucked in his breath as she dismissed him.

She saw Norrington mouth, _'Very good, M'lady.'_ Jack laughed out loud until Barbossa turned on him, then he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Looks like ya met yer match Mate, 'ey?"

Barbossa growled as he threw his knife at Jack, which Jack easily dodged. But his eyes crossed as he saw the knife stuck wiggling in the lamp post next to his head. He recovered quickly and smirked, "Ya missed Mate."

Barbossa stomped off yelling for everyone to 'get back ta work' again.

Gibbs crossed himself and whispered to her, "Be careful Lass, don't rile the Cap'n." Lydia gave her a hidden 'thumbs up' sign. Elizabeth and Tia smiled, and Will mouthed, _'Touché.'_

Barbossa searched the crew on The Pearl for someone who wasn't clumsy or afraid of him. His eyes stopped when they found Marty, "Marty, come across and help Gibbs take back what ever _Captain Pegasus_ wants ta take ta The Pearl."

Niece smiled in victory at Gibbs, "You see, Mister Gibbs even the most brutal, immoral and blood thirsty…. Hmmm, let's say, of the over abundance of bloody pirate captains we have around here. Even Barbossa can have a moment of lapse in his fearsome demeanor." Gibbs stopped, looked at her, frowned and then shrugged, raised his eyebrows and nodded in agreement.

Marty swung across and landed right next to Gibbs and Niece. They proceeded to take anything that Niece thought Jack might try and steal over to The Pearl. Barbossa watched as more and more things came out of the cabin on The Zeus and went over to The Pearl. Everyone could tell he was getting more than a little tired of this.

"There isn't goin' ta be any room in the cabin fer ya Missy," he finally commented. "That is enough. You two get across ta The Pearl." He pointed at Gibbs and Marty. "Mister Norrington?" Barbossa yelled looking around for the man.

"You bellowed," Norrington walked up behind Barbossa.

"Arrr, watch yer self Mister Norrington or ye will find yer self keel hauled or walkin' the plank," Barbossa warned. Then said with a sneer, "It be yer turn ta get kicked in places that I would rather not be kicked in again. Get _Captain Pegasus_ over ta The Pearl."

"Gladly," was all Norrington said. Niece was already shaking her head. He walked up to her, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"No, not going," she was still shaking her head.

He lowered his voice, "Look at me. This is getting very old."

She still looked at the distance between the ships and the water down below them. She shook her head.

He took her chin and forced her eyes to look at him, "Do you want to be knocked out?"

"No, it gives me a headache," she said matter of factly. "And I am not so sure it is that good for my health either," she added.

"Then listen to what I have to say. Then you can decide which way it will be," Norrington said. She nodded.

"All right, here is my plan of action. Before you have always been looking at the water, and someone has been hanging on to you. This time you will be hanging on to me and you will keep your eyes closed. You won't be able to see a thing and we will be there before you can count to five. Trust me on this," Norrington explained.

Her voice shook and she asked him, "What if I lose my grip on you? What if you lose your grip on the rope?"

"Trust me, you will not do that. I know you are a strong woman and are scared enough that you won't lose your hold on me. For certain, I am not going to lose my grip on the rope," he replied, still holding on to her chin, forcing her to look at him while he explained.

"Fine, I will trust you. Just stop repeating it and get me over there before I panic," she snapped.

Norrington got up on the rail and turned towards deck. He told her to climb up and hang on around his neck. She scrambled up and as soon as she clasped her hands around his neck he turned and swung across. She squealed, and hid her face in his chest, wrapping both legs around his waist. They landed before her squeal even stopped. Marty and Will grabbed both of them so their momentum wouldn't cause them to fall.

"Please, Captain, unwind yourself from around my middle. It is very much undignified," Norrington scolded, but he was smirking at her as his arms wrapped around her back. And he held on to her as her legs slid to the deck.

She looked up into his sea green eyes. _'Big mistake, huge mistake,'_ she thought as she seemed paralyzed by his eyes. He smirked a sensual smile at her. _'Damn bloody Englishman, he knows it too. No, on second thought, he is as much a pirate as the others are.'_ She pushed against his chest saying, "Damn bloody pirate turn me loose then."

Barbossa had swung across and walked up with his hand on his sword, "Ya heard the Captain, turn her loose."

Norrington stepped back and held his hands up and to the side away from her. "Your pardon, M'lady and by our leave." He bowed slightly as he turned and walked away. But he was smiling.

"Must I always be tellin' ya ta get back ta work!" Barbossa pushed a crew member towards the mast. "Gibbs and Marty, put the ladies things in her cabin. Ya may have the run of the ship as long as ya behave." He said to Niece. "The rest of ya that belong on The Zeus, get over there, so we can get under way!"

"Mister Gibbs, put these things in the Captain's cabin," she gave him her small chest with her jewelry in it. "You and Marty can put the rest in my cabin."

At Barbossa's questioning frown, she said, "You said I could have the run of the ship as long as I behave. I assume that includes protecting my favored possessions. They will be safer in your cabin Captain."

"No one will dare ta bother your possessions in me cabin. I will protect them as if they be me own," Barbossa bowed and smirked as he walked to the helm shouting for the crew to get them under sail quickly. She picked up a bundle of things and followed Marty to the cabin she was assigned.

After she told them where to put things, she unloaded and put things away. It was as spacious as a captain's cabin. But it was big enough to hold all her things and there was a small window she could look out of. The cabin had been set up with four hammocks, so she took three of them down. She had asked for a table of some kind and another chest for her things. Gibbs and Marty brought both and she set them up to make the cabin her own. It wasn't too crowded. She stood back hands on hips and nodded that it would do just fine.

Then she checked the door. She frowned. No lock. Well, she would have to make do with what she had. She could always scoot the chest beside the door in front of it when she was in here. She decided to go up on deck to find Barbossa and find out what his plans were. She met Norrington coming towards her.

"All settled in?" Norrington stopped right next to her. A sensuous smirk on his face.

"What's that for Mister Norrington?" she wiggled her pointer finger at his smirk.

"Please, we have been, shall we say, close enough for you to call me James. As for the other question. I managed to get you across water without as much as the slightest mishap. Jack and Barbossa were not so fortunate. I am just feeling a little smug about it is all," Norrington shrugged, but the smirk was still a little too sensual for her liking.

"I am not buying it, _Mister Norrington_. That isn't a smug smile, it is a 'you want something from me' smile," Niece made a non believing face at him.

"You know, I saw the way you looked at my cousin. I also know you are attracted to him. You could keep it in the family, by denying Barbossa as your protector and come to me instead," Norrington suggested as he moved closer to her.

She put her hand on his chest and pushed him back, "You are correct ion thinking that I find Travis attractive. But you are not Travis. And can you tell me any good reason why I should give up the protection of a captain that is my equal to a deckhand that takes orders from that very same captain?" Niece backed him up and walked on by.

She thought as she went up on deck, _'I have my work cut out for me. I am so much more attracted to Norrington's cousin, Travis. They almost look like twins instead of cousins at times! But I can do this, I can make everyone believe that I am Barbossa's woman. And that I have nothing more than a passing interest in Norrington.'_

She saw Barbossa at the helm and walked up the stairs to join him a smile on her face. He returned the smile. She thought, _'I will not be surprised if I find that there is a gentleman in you Barbossa. And I am going to find out your past and what you are hiding from the world. No matter what I have to do to find out.'_ She moved closer to him and he put a hand on hers. Norrington came from below, looked at them and then shook his head and started to work.


	20. A Heading and a Past

A/N: Sorry to my faithful readers and reviewers. It has been a very long time since I updated. I hope I didn't lose any of you. I have been very busy and then the dreaded writers block hit me. It was more like a writer's meltdown. Anyway, I am back so please read and review.

Disclaimer: The usual, I do not claim anything to do with Disney's characters or ships. I don't own them Disney does. I only lay claim to my OC's and The Zeus.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 20

Niece stayed by Barbossa and watched as he steered The Pearl through the turquoise waves. He looked up at the sails now and then and adjusted course to suit him. Niece noticed that he had a good sense of when and what The Pearl would do. It was like the ship and he were one. They weren't going that fast and didn't have a lot of canvas on at the moment. She left to go to the railing and look back at The Zeus following behind. They were close enough that she could see Lydia and waved. Lydia waved back. She was bored so she walked quietly back up behind Barbossa.

"So do we have a heading with a specific purpose in mind? Or are we just sailing around the Caribbean for pleasure," she asked as she pointed to the sails.

Barbossa swung around and snarled, "Arrr, ya better be a little more noisy when ya sneak up on a man like that, Missy. Or ya might find yerself run through."

"Did I scare you Captain Barbossa? A little ol' woman like me?" Niece teased as she came close to him. She took a finger and ran it down his baldric, flipping the end of his sword.

"Watch yerself, Missy. Ya might be dealin' with something more than you can handle," Barbossa growled as he turned back to the helm. "I don't fear anything, even death. I have been dead and back, and have no plans on going back soon. But I am careful, and what ya did comes under that action."

"I see, so what of my question? Or is that to be kept from me?" She turned and spread her legs apart to compensate for the roll of the ship.

"It is no secret from you. But it is from Mister Norrington. I don't entirely trust him and you are a bit too friendly ta him for my taste. I will tell ya where and when we are going later," Barbossa shrugged as Jack the monkey jumped from the railing onto his shoulder. Barbossa petted the monkey as it hissed at Niece.

She hissed back, "I don't like you either, you little hairy monster."

Barbossa laughed and it reached to his blue eyes, crinkling little laugh lines around them. It was a soothing sound that came out of a man that at all times seemed so in control of his actions. It was pleasing to her ears, she relaxed a bit. She tried to hide a smile but failed to do so. Barbossa saw and quickly hid behind his usual tough and untouchable exterior.

"You know Barbossa, you don't look half as bad as you pretend to be, when you smile and laugh. I think there is more to you than anyone else knows," she turned toward him again and moved closer still, studying his face. "In fact I know there is and I will find out what it is. You should let your guard down and laugh more often once in a while," and she walked off down the stairs laughing herself.

"Bloody wench," he muttered at her tinkling laughter. She shot a smug look at him back over her shoulder.

"Touché, Captain," she giggled as he smiled again at her and bowed slightly in acquiescence.

She kept the wistful smile on her face as she walked past Mister Gibbs and Marty. The stopped their work, their eyes followed her. Gibbs frowned and looked to Marty. Marty shrugged and looked toward Niece, saying, "Women are what vex men." Gibbs' eyebrows shot up and then he also shrugged and nodded in agreement.

There other sets of eyes also following her, and work stopped to watch her as she passed. One set in particular, but she didn't notice any of them. Her mind was on how to find out about Barbossa's past. She was determined to find out. And when she made up her mind to do something she was like the curious cat. _'Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.' She wouldn't go so far as to be killed but…..She would have satisfaction in the end about Barbossa's past,_ she thought.

She rubbed her left forefinger across her lips and chin in thought. There was a faraway look in her eyes. She had the attention of the entire crew now including the captain. But she was oblivious and she walked slowly towards the bow of The Pearl.

She suspected he'd been raised as a gentleman. Something must have happened to make him bitter and turn to pirating. He had a knack for negotiations and was a decent swordsman. He was dedicated to what he believed he was entitled to. He was determined to get what he was after. So far as she had seen he'd succeeded too. He was educated, she knew by the sometime slip ups in his speech. He was very smart and so far proved he was a knowledgeable captain.

She strolled nonchalantly up to the rail on the starboard side towards the bow. She leaned her elbows on it, looking back at The Zeus. Her ship was a little behind them and more to the right. She absent mindedly turned the turquoise ring around on her ring finger, with her middle and pinky fingers. She always did this when she was thinking. It was after rubbing her lips and chin. But before take the horse on her necklace, and running it back and forth on its chain across her chin. She still had the wistful smile on her face when Norrington walked up and leaned on the rail next to her. He also looked out to sea and at The Zeus.

"You must be thinking about Travis," he said offhandedly making conversation.

"No, I am actually thinking about Barbossa. Did that comment just take the wind out of your sails?" She asked as she quit turning the ring to turn and face him. She saw Barbossa watching them from the helm. They were too far away for Barbossa to hear them. So she turned and leaned her right arm on the rail. So Barbossa could see her face. Her first step to finding out about him was to gain his trust.

"Maybe a little, I had hoped that you were thinking of him and my proposal," Norrington looked sideways at her, watching her face for a reaction.

"No, I wasn't. If he were here I might have been. But he is not at this place or time. Look, Norrington…" she started to say.

"Call me James," he interrupted.

"I can't, not now. In this time it is crucial that we conform to the social classes. You of all people should know this. You are way above me in class. It is a dangerous game you play in the company you are in. Beware of Barbossa Norrington, because he is a dangerous man. I don't want to see anyone hurt, including you. He is a very smart man, don't be fooled by the fact that he is a pirate. I am willing to bet he is very well educated. He sees everything and misses nothing. Even now he is watching every move we make," she frowned at Norrington. "So don't take my facial expressions personal. It is for Barbossa's benefit. I need to gain his trust. However, it will be better for all of us if you stay away from me. I have made my decision and it is final. I chose someone in my own class and that is Barbossa," Niece said as she shot him an angry face, slashing with her hand across her body.

"Have it your way, Milady for now. But I don't like it, and I won't stop trying to convince you otherwise," Norrington narrowed his eyes and smirked at her.

"Oh, bloody men and pirates!" She stomped off towards the stern as Barbossa called to Gibbs to take the helm. She met him halfway.

"Havin' a bit of trouble are we, Missy?" Barbossa growled as he walked up with Jack on his shoulder. Jack hissed at her.

"Not anymore. I can take care of that…. Ew, uh, overstuffed windbag! And stop calling me Missy. It is a dead give away that you are not happy with me. I know you aren't before you ever even use it!" She stomped off again cursing about bloody pirates and men too full of themselves. Barbossa slightly smiled and put a hand over his mouth to cover it. He started to follow her and then thought better of it. Let her have her little fit of temper. He turned to have a little chat with Mister Norrington instead. But he would keep an eye on her just the same.

Niece saw the two men arguing, but couldn't hear what was being said. She knew it was about her. She stomped up to the helm and Gibbs, still mumbling and cussing. Gibbs looked sideways at her but kept his head straight. His eyes got big as she cussed about men and pirates. Then he pulled out his flask and took a long swallow. This didn't pass un-noticed by Niece.

"Mister Gibbs?" She said as she narrowed her eyes pinning him to the spot.

"Yes, Ma'am," Gibbs squirmed as he still kept his eyes straight ahead.

"Do you know where we are heading?" She questioned slowly.

"Yes, Ma'am, but in advance of yer next question. I have sworn on fear of pain and death that I wouldna tell ya," Gibbs fidgeted with his flask and the wheel. He looked up at the sails.

"Mister Gibbs, I am a captain and as such am entitled to know where we are heading besides in a northerly direction," she continued as Gibbs took another drink from his flask.

"I know Ma'am, but I canna tell ya. Please don't make me," he pleaded. Another drink from the flask.

"Aghh, you are as bad as Barbossa. Don't Ma'am me either. Can you tell me if anyone else knows?" Niece changed tactics. She knew Gibbs was more than likely afraid of her, just as much as he was of Barbossa. Because of this he would drink more rum. Which he proved then by taking another long drink from the flask. She knew he always got a lose tongue when he drank too much rum.

"Yes, Ma'…Cap'n, Barbossa is playin' it closer ta the vest now that Mister Norrington is on board," Gibbs supplied the information. More rum from the flask went down Gibbs' throat.

"Ah, it all boils down to Norrington not finding out. Why is that important? Norrington can't get information off the ship," Niece asked. She noticed that she and Gibbs had drawn Barbossa's attention. He left Norrington with some more harsh words.

"Well, you see Cap'n. Until we get far enough away from the Royal Navy being able ta intercept us, Barbossa doesn't want Norrington to know," Gibbs said as he took another drink.

Barbossa said something to Jack and the monkey took off up the rigging. He scampered across and came down on the rail, ran over to Gibbs, hissed at him and took the flask. Jack then scampered back to Barbossa and gave the flask to him.

"No…. You have no idea how long it is going'ta take ta get me flask back," Gibbs sighed with a forlorn look on his face.

"Oh, but I think I do," Niece also sighed. With the look on Barbossa's face as he stalked towards them, she knew both she and Gibbs were in trouble. Gibbs crossed himself and put a loop of rope around a spoke of the wheel. As Barbossa came up one side of the helm, Gibbs slid down the other side. He shouted over his shoulder that he had work to do. He disappeared down into the hatch to the depths of the ship.

"Marty! Get up here and keep our heading," Barbossa shouted as he grabbed Niece by the arms and turned her around. He propelled her towards the stairs. "We have a need ta talk privately, _Missy_," he ground out between clinched teeth. When she started to struggle, he said something to Jack and the monkey got on her shoulder and bared his teeth in her face. Barbossa warned, "I would do as I be tellin' ya, _Missy._ Jack bites, and it can be a nasty wound. Ya wouldn't want ta be marring that face of yours such as it is."

"Barbossa, you bastard," she ground out as she walked with his fingers locked in a hard grip around her arm. They tightened even more at her outburst. He took her to his cabin and shut the door behind them. She stayed still until he snapped his fingers. Jack jumped onto a beam at the side of the cabin.

A/N: Ah, she has committed to Barbossa. But has she? Hmm, I wonder what Norrington meant by what he said? And where are they headed and why? You will find out soon.


	21. A Lovers Spat?

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 21

Barbossa put a finger up to his lips for her to be quiet. He leaned against the door where no one outside could see him. She frowned but did as he bid and was quiet and didn't move. He went around to the windows that looked out onto the deck. He looked out without appearing to be doing so. He went to get some writing implements, 'Play along,' he wrote and handed the paper to her. She nodded in understanding. She was to play along with what ever he said and did for the benefit of the crew and more than likely the script.

"Now Missy, what ya be doin' ta poor Mister Gibbs?' He shouted as he walked to her and grabbed her by the arms and shoved her against the wall.

"Nothing, you bloody pirate, turn me loose," she screamed. "I am a captain the same as you and deserve the same considerations, esteem and recognition that you do."

"There be a lot of long words in there, I be nothing but a humble pirate. Explain yerself,' he growled.

"You know exactly what I mean, Barbossa. You are not as humble and uneducated as you seem," she shouted back, pushing against his chest as he forced her toward one of the windows. Her back to it she tried to dislodge herself from his grasp. He pinned her. She saw his eyes dart past her face to look out the window.

"Are you ignoring me? Listen well to what I have to say Barbossa. I know you are not….." she was cut off as he brought his lips to hers in a crushing kiss, his tongue plundering her mouth. Completely making speech impossible.

She stilled instantly and started to return the kiss. Barbossa whispered against her lips, "Fight me, and make it look good. You should be furious with me from the treatment in front of the crew. A lovers spat, if you will."

She brought her hand up to slap him, but he blocked her, so she punched him in the side instead. He pulled his head away from hers and roared with evil laughter. "Come on wench, you can do better than that," he shouted through his laughter.

"Wench! Wench? You evil son of the devil himself , you don't know what you have just gotten yourself into," she hissed loud enough to be heard through the paper thin walls. She could hear the cat calls and hoots of laughter coming from the crew. It sounded as if they were right outside the window.

"Ya are going ta think I am the devil you are sparrin' with. Now,show me what ya got, Missy," Barbossa laughed even more evilly and louder.

She tried to kick him and when he blocked that, she slid the heel of her boot down his shin instead. He howled with pain as she smiled in victory. He grabbed both of her wrists with his and pulled her around toward the bed. He let go with one hand to grab the back of the neck of her shirt and shoved her down on the bed. The shirt ripped exposing a goodly amount of shoulder and part of her breast.

She shrieked, "You bas…." He pounced on her and covered her mouth with another kiss. She smiled as she clamped down on his tongue with her sharp little teeth.

"Ow, you little hellion," he ground out as he wiped his hand across his mouth. "Good thing you didn't draw blood."

He caught her hands and started to pin them above her head. But she quickly pulled her legs up, stuck both boots in his midsection and pushed as hard as she could. He went flying across the room to land on his backside on the floor by the door.

When she got up off the bed and went after him, she saw most of the crew peering through the windows. She saw Gibbs had come from where ever he'd been. She heard him shout to Norrington, Marty and Cotton to get the crew back to work. The four of them pulled their swords, and got in between the pirates and the windows. Waving their swords back and forth and poking a few who didn't move fast enough.

Gibbs knocked and opened the door as Barbossa got himself up off the floor. "Beg pardon Cap'n, I think we should close the curtains ta the windows."

Barbossa growled, "Get to it then, and hurry or the crew is going ta get an eyeful," as he slung an arm around Niece's waist and carried her to the bed and fell on top of her.

Gibbs muttered, "Mother's love Lass, you have unleashed the wrath of the devil himself. I hope ya know what ya are doing?" He crossed himself but was smiling also.

"Get off me, you bloody, filthy mangy, scabrous dog before I slit you from throat to stomach and use your guts for garters," she pushed at him as she drew her dagger.

Gibbs whistled as he went around shutting curtains. As he walked out the door he said, "Now Cap'ns you can have a little privacy for your lovers quarrel."

As soon as the door slammed shut Barbossa got off her. He whispered close to her ear, "Damn, woman you could have taken it a little easy on me."

She whispered back, "You didn't do such, to me. I am going to be aching in places I forgot I had for days and I am going to bruise too." They both smiled at each other. He went and sat down at the desk. He continued to shout at her and she did the same back. They made shuffling and banging noises, she threw a few things that crashed against walls for effect. But they got quieter and the noise was father apart.

He finally went to the bed and bounced on it. She looked at him incredulously and whispered, "Tell me you are joking."

He shook his head and made some groaning noises. She shrugged and moaned a bit too. He gestured to her lips, "They aren't bruised or puffy enough looking for you being kissed by a devil. You game?"

"Isn't there some sort of makeup?" she asked looking around.

"Nope, we are going to have to get the same effect the old fashioned way," He grinned.

"You're kidding?" She groaned, she was getting a little intimidated. She wasn't an actor and wasn't used to kissing someone she didn't have those kinds of feelings for.

He shook his head, "Welcome to my world. The world of acting."

" Fine, do your worst… ah, or best captain," she walked to the bed. She was more than a little apprehensive about this. So to give her self more time to come to grips with the situation. She took off her baldric, sword, and also shed her other weapons. She looked down at him bouncing on the bed and giggled. "I'm sorry, that looks so funny. A grown man bouncing on a bed like a child."

He shrugged and took off his weapons, letting them fall to the floor to make more noise. She messed up the bed some to build up more courage. He took her hand and gently pulled her down on the bed beside him, as he lay back on it. He held her tightly to him and softly brushed his lips to hers. "I will be as gentle as I can to achieve the results we need to show," he assured her. He kissed her hair to prove that he would do just as he said.

He brushed his lips against hers again. Almost as if he were asking her if it was all right to continue with the farce. She opened for him and he obliged her by ravishing her lips as any good pirate would do. They kissed and bit each others lips. Niece thought it was all for a good cause. She had to admit, she was having fun being a pirate. She finally relaxed giving herself over to Barbossa's guidance.

He bit her ear and then her neck, he gave her a love bite where her neck and shoulder met. She bit him a couple of times that left marks on him also. He pulled back to look at her swollen lips. He smiled, "I think that should convince them that something happened here that didn't."

"Not that much time has passed. Don't you think we should stay in here for a while longer?" She asked as she got up and unlaced her torn shirt a little, took off her boots, and partly unlaced her pants. He shed more clothing as well, down to his shirt and pants.

"That should do it. Pirates get done what needs to be done quickly. Let's just say, we have a conflicting relationship as lovers," he smiled.

"All right, but before we go a couple of questions. What about your past and where we are going?" She asked doggedly, looking askance at him.

"Can't tell you, but I can say that you will find out the latter from Gibbs soon. Just keep working on him. As for the other, you will just have to wait and see. But know it is going to cause more arguments between us that are going to require that we make up in here," he smirked at her.

She sighed, "Fine, Pegasus can handle Barbossa."

He rolled his eyes as he pulled on his boots haphazardly. She left her boots off. "I have no doubt that she can. You better stay here for a few more minutes after I leave," he advised.

He put a satisfied smirk on his face as he opened the door and left the cabin. She walked to one of the windows and pulled the curtain aside just enough to peek out to see what the crew did. She saw coins and trinkets pass back and forth between all of them. Damn bloody pirates had bet on the outcome. The only two who didn't exchange anything were Norrington and Gibbs. They both were working close to the door of the cabin. She saw Norrington shoot daggers with his eyes at Barbossa as he passed by him and disappeared up the stairs to the helm above the cabin.

Barbossa just smirked at Norrington, saying, "It was good, ya don't know what yer missin'." Niece's mouth dropped open at Barbossa's comment. She sputtered and fumed, until she remembered that nothing other than kissing really happened. Surely Norrington knew that. And that what Barbossa had said, had been for the benefit for those of the crew within ear shot.

She waited until Barbossa disappeared up above and then sauntered out with a satisfied look on her face. Norrington was right outside the door waiting. He glared at her and then took her by the arm, none too gently, backing her into a corner where Barbossa couldn't see but most of the crew could. Gibbs looked from them to Barbossa and back again.

"I told you I won't give up and this doesn't change a thing," Norrington hissed as he she came up against a barrel. He kept a hold of her left arm with his right hand. They were shoulder to arm, considering their height difference. He leaned over to get closer to her ear. "I have so much more to offer you."

"Be that as it may, I have made my choice," she disentangled his hand from her arm.

He flipped the torn part of her shirt with a finger, "I wouldn't do this to you either. You don't deserve this"

She shrugged, "I am a pirate captain, and things get rough at times. I can handle it. Now please leave me."

He stood for a moment longer glaring at her, then bowed mockingly and turned on his heel and left. She looked up to see that Barbossa had seen at least part of the exchange. She thought, _'He must have seen Gibbs' hint that Norrington had me cornered. Well, that just goes to show that Barbossa does have a protective good streak in him._' She nonchalantly went up to the helm, hooked her arm through his, pulling him to the wheel. Then she asked him to let her steer The Pearl for a while. He grinned seductively and let her take over. When she made a mistake he corrected it without seeming to be doing so.


	22. Calm Before the Storm

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 22

Barbossa stood close behind Niece at the wheel. He molded his body to her back and derriere. He put his hands on her shoulders. She felt a little tingle of excitement at the contact. Then mentally shook herself. He had a duel purpose for this. To show the crew and especially Norrington that she was his woman. Norrington watched and snorted when he caught her eye.

"It appears that Mister Norrington is not happy with being jilted a second time," Barbossa smirked in her ear.

"I am sure I do not know what you are talking about," she frowned.

"You haven't heard that Mister Norrington was engaged to Miss Swan and that she jilted him for Mister Turner? Then when she was about to marry the whelp Beckett arrested them both. She got away and went to look for the whelp, whom Beckett had sent after Jack's compass. She came across Norrington and then Jack in Tortuga. Went with them on The Pearl to find the whelp. Found him and now it seems her fickle heart belongs to Jack." Barbossa stated.

"You see, that there, is exactly why I think that you were a gentleman at one time," she smirked at his use of the title and sir names of those he had mentioned.

"You are treading where you should not be, Missy," Barbossa growled in her ear.

"Be that as it may, you know what I mean. I think that is why you always get so defensive, and put up that hard exterior of yours when I get close to the truth," she continued.

"Enough!" He growled louder.

"All right, I will drop it for now Captain. But the other does explain some things to me about the actions of the others. It seems you were the only one not jilted by her," she commented as she laid her head back against his shoulder to soothe his ruffled feathers.

"You could say that. Now I have a need ta go below and check on things," he kissed her lips softly. Then yelled for Cotton to come up and stand by in case she wanted to leave. Norrington watched from where he was working until Barbossa disappeared below and then he wandered slowly working his way toward the helm. She saw him coming and waited until he started up one side.

"Mister Cotton, would you take the helm please?" She asked as she quickly scooted down the other side. She actually had two reasons for this. The first was to avoid Norrington and the second was to get to Gibbs. She wasn't stupid. She knew Barbossa had told Cotton to help instead of Gibbs, so she couldn't talk to him. And as soon as Norrington saw Barbossa leave he had come straight for her.

She saw Gibbs at the other end of the ship and walked to him, "Mister Gibbs, a word please?"

"No, Lass, please, if the Cap'n sees…. And I still haven't got me flask back from the last time," Gibbs backed away from her. "I told them all that it be frightful bad luck ta have a woman on board time and again. Don't prove me right. They shudda listened ta me, look ta the east," he pointed off to the east as the wind picked up. She looked at the horizon where huge clouds were forming.

"Mister Gibbs, all I want to know is where we are headed. I will not tell anyone at all that I know. I just have to know where we are heading in case something happens. You never know," she wheedled. Gibbs started to leave one way and she blocked him, so he tried the other way and she blocked again.

"Lass, I canna tell ya," Gibbs sighed and looked every where but directly at her. She walked closer to him as he backed up.

"Mister Gibbs, the captain would be a lot more upset that you put your hands on his woman," she moved closer still.

"Lass, I wouldna….. Please stop this madness," Gibbs was backed into a corner. He had to either touch her or look at her to get around her. He knew if he looked at her, he would be lost and he would tell her.

"Mister Gibbs, the information now. Or I will rip my shirt and start yelling like a bloody banshee," she warned.

Gibbs crossed himself , "A Banshee…. Lord almighty. Deliver me from this little lass."

"Gibbs, I am going to count to three….. One……two……," she was interrupted by Gibbs.

"We be going to pick up some swag that we plundered a long time ago off the coast of the colonies," Gibbs spit out quickly.

"The Unit…..," she cut herself off this time as he scrunched up his face and started sputtering as he made hand gestures for her to stop what she was saying. "I mean, oh, the colonies. You mean the southern ones, I hope," she finished.

"Yes, it be an island off the Carolina coast. 'ave you heard of 'The Lost Colony'?" He whispered. She nodded her head, she knew her history well. "The Lost Colony' was on Roanoke Island.

"That be where we are headed. See, the captain, he figured he needed places ta hoard swag fer later use. This island be not a place that the British Royal Navy be inclined ta go," Gibbs used his hands to describe what he was saying, he looked at her and then up at the sky as if he was seeing things that had happened before.

She smiled, he was such a good story teller. She could actually imagine what he was describing. "Your information is safe with me, Mister Gibbs." And she walked off before Barbossa came out from below deck. She noticed that The Zeus was gaining on them and that it had change course to bring it up beside The Pearl.

She looked to Gibbs and pointed wordlessly to The Zeus as she caught Gibbs attention. Just about that time the man in the crows nest yelled down, "The Zeus be comin' up on the starboard side. Get the Cap'n up here, they be hailin' us."

"Mother's love, Jack you be sendin' us all ta the depths comin' up on us this fast," Gibbs said half to himself and half out loud. But Niece heard him. Then he yelled, "Drop canvas, fast, scurry like ya are bein' paid fer it! Cap'n, ya are needed on deck," he yelled down through the grates to the hold.

Barbossa bellowed, "What in bloody hell is goin' on up there?"

"The Zeus is comin' up on us fast. Jack wants ta talk. Most likely about the storm comin' from the east," Gibbs yelled back down, but Barbossa came up from the hold before he finished. He grabbed for his spyglass, but saw that The Zeus was close enough he didn't need it. Niece wondered how that man could move so fast without ever running.

Barbossa sauntered to the starboard railing and leaned over, "Jack, what be on yer mind that has ya in such a state?" The Zeus dropped canvas and slowed to come up along side The Pearl. Jack swung across and landed next to Barbossa. Niece went to talk to Lydia, Liz and Tia as some of the crew went to talk to Will and some of the others on The Zeus.

"We have been tryin' ta signal ya without firin' a cannon. I didn't want ya ta be thinkin' The Zeus' crew had mutinied. I wanted ya ta slow down so we can decide on what ta do about that," Jack's hands were fluttering around in the air until he pointed to the east. "Looks like it could be a big one mate. I was havin' a thought here, that we should separate the two ships by more sea, 'ey? So as not to crash into one another when that hits us. You know, you do what you do best here on The Pearl, and I do what I do best over on The Zeus," Jack put a hand on Barbossa's shoulder as he swept his other hand in a half arc in front of Barbossa's eyes.

Barbossa looked at Jack's hand. Jack removed it and gave a quick half grin as he did. Then he tipped his head back in the classic Jack way, to look down his nose at Barbossa, waiting for an answer. Barbossa looked at the greenish colored clouds, then back to Jack.

He frowned then raised his eyebrows, "Jack, Jack, did ye come up with this thought on yer own or did ye get it from the whelp?"

"I resent that Barbossa," Will informed Barbossa. Barbossa looked at Will rolled his eyes and turned back to Jack, "Well?"

"I came up with it on me own Barbossa," Jack defended himself indignantly. "William had nothing to do with it. Although he was in the crows nest and spotted it first."

"Ah," Barbossa said and rolled his eyes again. "Well, I agree with ye Jack. Ye can meet up with us off the barrier islands of Carolina. If we don't sight each other sooner."

"I best be getting' back ta me ship. That storm is movin' fast," Jack said as he swung back across to The Zeus. The ships headed in different directions away from the storm.

The storm hit The Pearl first. As it hit Barbossa told Niece to go into her cabin and stay there until he came for her. She had been getting more and more worried as the storm got closer and the waves higher. She prayed that The Pearl would hold together and voiced this concern to Barbossa. He assured her The Pearl had been through worse, but that she would be safer in the cabin.

She did as she was told and went to her cabin. She felt cramped and couldn't see much out the windows. So she decided to go to Barbossa's cabin instead. She opened the door to a blast of cold spray that took her breath away. Waves were washing over the deck and the crew was hurrying to follow orders. She saw Gibbs the same time he saw her. He hurried over and yelled for her to go back inside.

"I can't stay in there, it is too cramped. Take me to Barbossa's cabin and let him know I am there," she shouted back. He nodded his head and helped her to the other cabin and closed the door after her. She went to the windows first and then to the desk. The ship tossed and rolled harder.

She thanked God that she wasn't sea sick and prayed that she would be safe. She stayed in the cabin as the storm outside got worse. Then she started to worry that if something happened she would need a floatation device. She went to the windows looking out on deck for anything that she could use as a floatation device. She spotted two smaller wooden barrels tied together to a mast. She could rope them together around her. They weren't too far from the cabin.

She could dash out quickly and get them and the rope and be right back in a second or two. She saw that those of the crew she could see had ropes tied to them. This bothered her for a second before she thought it wasn't that far to the barrels. She could make it and back. Just as she opened the door she saw Norrington close to the barrels. She dashed out just as the ship lurched hard and rolled to the starboard side. She was thrown that way and so was Norrington. She grabbed onto a post holding up part of the helm and held on until the ship settled again.

She managed to head toward the barrels at the same time Norrington saw her. He yelled at her and motioned for her to go back. She pointed to the barrels, but knew he couldn't hear her over the storm. She made it half way when the ship again lurched hard to the starboard side. She couldn't stop her momentum this time. She came up hard against the railing, knocking the wind out of her.

At the same time she was able to gulp in a breath, a wave hit the ship from the larboard side, and washed across the deck. The last thing she saw was Norrington trying to get to her, his eyes wide with fright. As he passed Gibbs, Gibbs also turned to see someone being washed overboard. He yelled, "Man overboard Cap'n! Man overboard!"

Norrington hesitated not even one second. He leaned over the rail yelling, "Niece, I am coming for you," as he dove over the side. She heard him, just before the cold water hit her and closed around and over her head. She fought for the surface and managed to make it.

She saw Norrington in the water not far from her and yelled at him. He was attached to a mast by a rope and was being pulled farther away from her by The Pearl. Barbossa and Gibbs were looking over the side. She heard Gibbs yell to Barbossa, "Two men Cap'n, one of them was stupid Norrington. He went in after the other man."

She fought to stay above the water, but was getting weaker by the second. She tried to swim for Norrington and he was trying to untie himself from the mast. Everything was getting darker, she stopped trying to swim. She had always known she was going to die by drowning. That is why she had been so afraid.

She gave herself over and slid beneath the surface to the loud snap and crack. Something hit the water above her head. She struggled one last time for the surface. As she bobbed above it, she heard Barbossa yelling to cut the mast loose. She saw The Pearl was listing hard over and men were following orders to cut it loose. So the ship wouldn't also be lost. Norrington was calling her name, telling her not to give up that he was close. He could see her and was almost there. She thought he was too far away still to help her. She sank one last time below the surface and everything went black.

A/N: I did check my historical facts around the time period I thought this is in. It is as accurate as I can be without knowing the exact year this was supposed to be taking place. The English originally named North Carolina, just Carolina. It was know as this from the early 17th century to late 18th century. 'The Lost Colony' was on Roanoke Island and the Island had one or two colonies on it before 'The Lost Colony.' It is located off North Carolina in its barrier islands.


	23. Dead or Alive

Disclaimer: See chapter 1, I still don't own anything except my OC's and The Zeus.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 23

Norrington got to Niece just after he heard her call to him, and then she disappeared under water. He had managed to keep out of the way of the mast, but was still tied to it. He knew he had to go under, and find Niece before she sank too far out of his reach. He took a deep breath in the pitching sea, and dove under the water.

The Pearl was far enough away and there was no light left at all. Night had fallen just before the storm hit. He blindly felt around in the water as he dove deeper. He was a strong swimmer and in good shape. He kept feeling as he went deeper. Nothing, his hands touched nothing but water. He went in ever widening circles as he went deeper. She had to be here somewhere. His lungs were starting to burn, but he forged on. He felt his lungs getting ready to spasm and take in water, so he stopped and kicked for the surface.

He didn't think he was going to make it when his head broke the surface. He took in great gulps of air. He'd surfaced right next to the mast and he grabbed onto it until he had gotten a few breathes of air. Then he took a couple of more breaths to go back under when he felt something bump into his leg. Just ducking under the surface, he felt and came in contact with a long braid of human hair.

He grabbed a hold and pulled. She came up slowly as she was tangled in some of the canvas from the mast. He got her up and flung her longwise along the mast. Hoisting himself up to sit behind her derriere. He knew she wasn't breathing. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled them back, then pushed them forward. When he did this, he pushed her chest into the mast.

She started coughing and spit up a bunch of water. "Don't struggle, stay where you are," he yelled above the rush of the wind.

She froze in place as soon as she got a death grip, with her legs and arms on the mast. Then sobbed back, "I am not going any where."

He lay on top of her and wrapped his arms around her for added support. His legs dangling in the water. They rode out the rest of the storm like that. The storm only lasted for about another couple of hours. It had steadily been getting weaker as time went by. It seemed like after it had tossed her into the sea it was satisfied and losing its fury.

When Niece thought Norrington could hear her without shouting, she groaned, "I think it is calming down. I can't feel as much sea water trying to be shoved up my nose anymore."

"Yes, it is abating. I can't see any stars yet though to tell the time, or about where we are," Norrington replied. "And I can't assess what we have to make a more comfortable place for us to sit. So it looks like you are going to have to hang on a bit longer."

"Aghh, my arms and hands went numb an hour or so ago. I just have them locked together to keep from falling off," she muttered tiredly.

"Try to relax them, I have you, I won't let you fall off," he assured her.

"That my dear Mister Norrington is easier said than done, I seem to be stuck. Ohhhh, that hurts. But I will try, just don't let go. You know how I can be in the water. And I don't feel all that secure right now." She took one arm from around the mast and shook it. Opening and closing her fingers very stiffly. She couldn't feel anything at first and then they started to tingle. She groaned, "Ahhhh, oh, I hate when the blood rushes back in. It stings and burns like bloody hell."

"Indeed I do… Well, it has to be done, so quit whimpering and do it. Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only one here, who needs to move around a bit. I am just as cramped as you are. Although I am smart enough to realize, that a death grip on the mast, will only numb my arms and legs. Ergo, I only held on with the least amount of force under the circumstances. And do not think of doing anything rash. This is not the time for rash actions," Norrington said his voice dripping with scorn.

"Oh, shut up," she groaned. He snorted. Then she changed arms and did the same with both legs. She made sure that she had a secure but not numbing hold, when Norrington sat up straddling the mast, moving and twisting about.

"The moon was almost in a full stage last night. I see that the clouds are starting to separate a bit. I am going to leave you for a minute to access how much of the canvas and mast we have. I can make do so we can be more comfortable," he commented more to himself than her as he slid into the water.

"Don't go far," she murmured. He grunted again.

The clouds split at times and she could get a glimpse of him. It looked to her like there was a lot of the mast still intact in one way or another. She saw him take out his sword to try and chop one of the spars off the mast. The moon illuminated them more and more as the clouds parted and the wind slowed to a breeze. The waves had long since quieted to normal. She watched him chop at the wood from different angles. She remembered her dagger in her boot.

"I have a dagger in my boot, if you need it," she offered. He swam over and raised his eyebrows in question, as he held out his hand for it. "Oh, no, I am scarcely able to control my anxieties. Would you mind, getting it out yourself?"

He exhaled nosily, "Oh please, this is getting tiresome. Lift your boot up then, I am not going under water for it." She did as he told her and put that boot on top of the mast. He smirked wickedly as he ran his hand down inside her boot.

He caressed her ankle a bit, before he slipped the dagger out, "So sorry, my hand slipped."

"Liar… Listen to your own words, Mister Norrington. This is not the time for rash actions," she admonished. "Now please continue with your work."

It didn't take him long to cut the spar, he lashed the pieces in a triangular frame to the mast with the rope. Then he unlashed the sail that was still attached to the mast, and stretched it across the frame. He made it fast and when he was finished it was a nice hammock type raft. He tested it with his weight and it held.

"Crawl up the mast and roll off into the raft," he instructed her.

"I can't," she whined.

"My dear, at this point, I am beginning to question my rash action of jumping in to save you. I have managed to do just that. But at this point, you are nothing that I would lament being rid of. You will crawl up here, you will get in, and you will spend the rest of this voyage in this raft. Do I make myself clear?" He leaned up on his elbows, looking at her from the raft, as he enunciated each word slowly.

"Unfortunately, you are crystal clear," she bit out as she shimmied up the mast and slid into the raft with a sigh of relief.

"Now get some sleep, while I try to figure where in the north Caribbean we are. I can while it is still dark. I can see stars to figure approximately where we are. These storms usually push us northwest. If I am not mistaken by the direction we have been sailing. We should be some where off the coast of the Americas. Hopefully, the currents will take us near land soon," he told her.

She rested her head in the corner where the mast and raft joined. She fell asleep instantly. Norrington checked as close as he could figure from the stars. They were about where he thought they were. Satisfied he knew about where they were, he watched her sleep for a while until slumber also took him.

She was suddenly aware of a bright light behind her eyelids. She tried to move, a groan escaped her. She tenderly moved an arm up to cover her eyes before opening them. She rolled her head to the side cracking open one eye as she did so. Norrington was gone. Then she noticed that the raft wasn't bobbing anymore. She put her other hand down and felt solid sand beneath it. She sat up quickly and looked around. They were on land. She hadn't noticed the gentle sound of the waves lapping at the shore. Now she did.

She groaned again, stood up and stretched. She wobbled a bit, feeling like there was still the movement of a ship, or the sea under her feet. She thought, _'No wonder Jack seems to stagger worse on land. I never thought of that.'_ She looked around, Norrington was no where in sight, but his boots, vest, pistol, and a couple of other things were on the sand. His bare foot prints leading down the shore. She knew he must be checking out their surroundings.

She sat down and removed her boots, baldric, vest, and anything else that was wet, setting them out to dry. She looked around. Thought about removing her shirt and pants, and then thought better of it. They would have to dry on her body.

She took note of her environs. There were coconut trees and some others too. There was a small hill one way that was covered with foliage of different types. She could hear water cascading from that direction and walked slowly that way. She hesitated and then went back for her sword before continuing. She went around a short cliff on the sand. There she saw a beautiful waterfall cascading down from the hill. It emptied into a pool then meandered to join the sea. _"Well, at least there is fresh water,'_ she thought as she went and rinsed her mouth, to get the salt taste out of it. Then she took a few swallows to quench her thirst.

She got another idea. She touched the sand with a finger. Stuck the finger in her mouth and crudely brushed her teeth. She was sticky all over with salt and sand, her hair was plastered to her face and neck. She looked around again, then at the depth of the pool that the waterfall fell into. It looked to be about up to her chest. Still not sure if there might be anyone around, she walked with her clothes on into the cool refreshing water. She went to stand under the fall, letting the falling water massage all the tension out of her tired muscles. She took off her clothes under water, rinsing and scrubbing them out. She swam to some near by hibiscus bushes and threw her clothes over them to dry.

She went back under the fall. She proceeded to scrub sand into her scalp to cleanse it. She was beginning to think it was a mistake. The sand was harder to rinse out, than she thought it was going to be. She finally was satisfied that the sand was out of her hair. She also scrubbed her body. She was done and just standing under the fall with her eyes closed, relaxing.

"Oh dear, so sorry, I had no idea you were without clothing," came the deep timbre of Norrington's voice with a hint of a smirk to it.

"Aghh, Mister Norrington, you should have made your presence known," she squealed as she dipped into the water up to her chin, and crossed her arms over her breasts.

"How was I to know your moral standards were lax?" He smirked and motioned to her state of undress. His green eyes sparkling, eyebrows raised in amusement. "You know that still leaves little to my imagination?"

"Mister Norrington!" She shouted.

"I will turn my back, like the gentleman I am. Get dressed we have a need to talk." He did turn his back, and then walked off chuckling around the cliff to give her privacy.

A/N: I see one of you thought I was going to kill off my OC. I thought about it, but then it just didn't work with this story. It would have left it hanging and unfinished. So she is fine and none the worse for the wear.


	24. Survival

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OC's and The Zeus. I borrowed a line from 'The Last of the Mohicans' and a couple from 'Gone With The Wind,' and Shania Twain's song, 'Whatever You Do. Don't!' The rest belongs to Disney.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 24

Niece muttered and cursed to herself about _'bloody men in general and commodores pretending to turn pirate.'_ She stomped off toward the beach after she got dressed still mumbling. She walked up to Norrington. Got right in his face, as much as her five foot two inches would let her and spat out, "What do we need to talk about? The way I figure it, we are stuck, no way to get back to the fut…."

He put two of his fingers on either side of her nose, and his thumb under her chin. He applied enough pressure to make her stop talking. She slapped his hand away, "What?" She looked around to see why he wanted her to be quiet. There was nothing, she crossed her arms on her chest and glared at him, waiting for the answer she knew would come. _"Sure. Blame everything on the script when you damnable men aren't getting your way,'_ she thought. "Go ahead, say it," she demanded.

He raised his eyebrows, and then put his head down, digging a bare toe into the sand. He lowered his deep masculine voice so she could barely hear. "The script, I hadn't read this far, but do know we are supposed to be marooned on an island off the coast of Florida. I just walked around a bit. This is a rather large tract of land. There is plenty of food and fresh water. But it is an island. I am not exactly sure if we get off of it or not. You are right, we may be stuck here. So we must make the best of it."

"Hold it right there Norrington, I am not going to give up that easy. I am going to get off this island," she said as she looked around again.

"I didn't mean that, and you know it. I have been on an island before and made it off by building a raft. Elizabeth and Jack were on an island, I rescued them when Elizabeth built a fire that I saw the smoke from. What I am saying is that the storm was severe, The Pearl took damage." He indicated the broken mast. "There is no way of knowing how much damage The Zeus took. They were already ahead of us when the storm hit. So they will be too far away to see a signal. They will go to the rendezvous place and wait. I have no idea what Barbossa will do about the damage to The Pearl, before looking for you. Barbossa may not even know it was you who went over before me yet. Gibbs saw us go over, but I was the only one who knew it was you. They are going to have to discover that also. Time and tide, my dear, they wait for no man. We can use the mast and canvas from the sails for shelter. Thank God we have our swords and pistols as well as daggers." His voice dropped off as he went poking through what they had left of the mast, yard arms and canvas.

"You see to this then, and I will see what kind of fruits and other things we might use to eat," Niece remarked.

He didn't stop poking around at things as he said, "Leave your pistol, shot and powder. It will be soaking wet and of no use to you right now. I will dry it out while you are gone."

She grabbed a piece of torn canvas from the sand. She walked off a ways before turning back to him. She hesitated, looked at the sand, started to twist one of her rings, curled her toes into the sand, and then cleared her throat.

"If you wish to say something, just say it. You have no need to fear speaking your mind around me," he ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. He had been watching her dilemma out of the corner of his eye.

She looked at him. Still not sure she wanted him to know she was a little scared. Scared that they might not be the only humans on the island. "You're sure we are the only people on this island?" she inquired.

"Yes, I am sure," he lowered his voice to the deep timbre that sent shivers up her spine. And she had them, as he replied with a soft half smile. "I would protect you even if we weren't. So you have no worries."

"Thank you Norrington," she smiled quickly.

"How many times must I ask you to call me James?" He sighed exasperated.

She looked off up at the hill where the waterfall was for a few seconds. "It isn't proper."

"Come on. Like that matters here?" And he swept his arms around to indicate that no one was here so that it didn't.

She thought a moment. _'After all, I am a pirate captain. I can call him by his proper name. The other captains called some of their crew by their proper names. We are not strangers anymore. Even though he still holds his rank, there is no one here to know. So why not?' _"All right, James."

It took hours for the two of them to do their respected jobs. James had a nice shelter for them on higher ground up under some trees. The location was sheltered from the wind by a short cliff of sorts, and closer to the waterfall. She noticed that he used living trees to secure the canvas to. He had made it sturdier by making a frame similar to the one he had for the raft. And that he had also overlapped some huge leaves over the canvas on the top. He had managed to tie off the heavier part of the mast that he couldn't move. So it wouldn't float away at high tide. _'He is a pretty smart man, I wouldn't have thought to bend those leaves, and tie them over the top of the shelter. It will keep the rain out. He is knowledgeable about making things. I am glad for that, because I am not so inclined.'_ She thought, as she watched him from the top of a coconut tree, which she had shimmied up.

She had shimmied up and down several coconut trees before this one. She picked ones that were quite bent, so she didn't have to climb them. She cut down some coconuts, the last thing she wanted to collect, before dragging a piece of canvas back to their shelter. She found other fruits, including some oranges, berries and roots that she knew where editable. She'd even found an abandon vegetable garden, and picked some squash, peas, beans, and potatoes. She drug the canvas with her treasures back to the shelter.

James stopped as he noticed her return. He raised his eyebrows and made a face of approval, but said nothing as he continued with his work. She sat cross legged, with her back against a tree. She went through the things she had gathered. She proceeded to cut some of the coconuts in half. Not wanting to waste the milk, she drank some and took the rest to James. He thanked her as he drank it and tossed the shell away.

"I want that," she said as she went and picked it up. He watched her with a curious look on his face. She walked back to sit the same way under the same tree. She scraped out the insides of one half into the other half. He smiled in approval again and went back to work. She transferred the coconut meat to the empty shell. She continued on until she had half dozen shells to use as crude bowls.

They didn't speak as they each contributed to their survival on the island. She had noticed clouds building up again to the east. They didn't have quite the color as the last clouds had. But they could hamper the repairs to The Pearl and their rescue. She knew Barbossa would come back for her. James was putting the finishing touches to their shelter when she commented on the weather. "Looks like another storm building up." When he looked at her, she nodded toward the clouds.

"It appears so," he said as he straightened, rubbed his left forearm, and then walked toward the beach. He walked back and looked at the canvas with the food on it. He nodded to the canvas. "You did a nice job finding things for us to eat."

"I found some citrus trees just over that hill. There also appears to be some sort of over grown vegetable garden. I hope you are correct about being the only people here. I got the shivers when I was over there. I didn't feel right, so I brought what I had back here," she commented as nonchalantly as she could. Pointing to the hill in question, that she had went over. She was afraid there might be some natives around. She knew her history about certain tribes around this time in this area that killed all white settlers.

"No worries Niece, I thoroughly checked the island. Although it is large enough, that I could have missed them. There is no indication that anyone has been here for some time. I did find the garden and the citrus trees. But it looks as though they have been abandon for years, trust me," James mentioned shrugging. He frowned and rolled up his sleeve a little to look at his forearm. He poked at it and then rolled the sleeve back down.

She made a very pirate like snort, "This coming from a man who is still working for the East India Trading Company. Although he appears to be turned pirate on a pirate ship."

"Jack knows." James shrugged as he looked out to sea. He hunkered down on his haunches, bent over slightly and picked up some sand. Her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth, to smother the sound of the sudden intake and shuddered out breath. She blushed clear to her toes. _'Oh my…_' She thought as she saw how the fabric of his pants stretched across his, more than nice posterior. She closed her eyes quickly, then slowly opened one at a time. _'OK, take a deep breath and let it out slow. I won't melt from the heat. I can get past this. Yes, he has a nice butt. I get weak just watching him do that. Niece, just keep remembering he isn't Travis. And he is married in the real world. I can't touch, but my hand is just itching to do just that. No, I can't touch._' She kept reminding herself over and over. He didn't notice as he let the sand run through his fingers.

She took a deep breath. "I got news for you. So does Barbossa," she informed him.

"I rather thought he did too, so that is old news to me," he scoffed as he looked over his shoulder at her. He held his hand up and sifted more sand through it, watching which way it blew. "It seems that the storm is coming our way. That will just make more of a delay in our being rescued. We should go inside the shelter." He frowned and rubbed his arm again.

"I will wait until it gets closer, thank you," she did the pirate like snort again. She wasn't going in there with thoughts of the sight she just saw fresh in her mind.

"Do you have an aversion to sharing quarters with me?" He gave her one of his lopsided half grins and his green eyes sparkled. And this time he scratched at his arm.

She blinked, surprised at what he said. Until she realized that he hadn't seen her reaction to his posterior, it was just a comment to tease her. "Not as long as you mind your pints and quarts." First she pointed an index finger at him, then tapped the same finger on her chin in thought. "But for some reason, I seem to remember something…. Hmmm, what was that you said on The Pearl? Oh, that's it. You said you were going to keep pursuing me." She shot him a fake smile and wrinkled her nose at him. "Why do you keep rubbing your arm?" Finally, she wiggled the exact same digit at his arm.

"It itches," he replied sarcastically.

"Let me see it," she outstretched her right hand as she stood up. When he stood there unmoving, she wiggled the fingers of the outstretched hand. "Come on, don't act like a child."

"I beg to differ with you. I am not a child, and resent you implying that I am," he said snidely.

"You can beg to differ all you want, but you are acting like one. Let me look at your damn arm," she ordered him to do so, putting a stern look on her face. He complied as he mumbled under his breath about female pirate captains. "I heard that," she stated. She pushed up his sleeve and look at his arm.

"Looks like you got stung or bit by some kind of insect. I hope it isn't poisonous. My knowledge of that sort of thing is limited. However, I do know that tobacco leaves can draw out poisons. I saw some just over that hill. I will be right back. " She left and came back a few minutes later. He took the stuff she had collected, and put it in the shelter while she was gone.

"My grandfather used to chew it up a little, before putting it on me when I got stung or bit. I am not inclined to do that. So since salt also has the same sort of drawing capabilities. I am going to wet the leaf in sea water and mash it into pulp. Then put it on your arm," she explained as she went about making a poultice.

"If you think you are putting that on my arm, you are sadly mistaken," he informed her.

"Look at it this way. You are lucky that there aren't any cattle on this island, and that you didn't get bit on the butt. Because fresh cow dung is even better at drawing, and I would have made you sit in it," she threatened him.

It was the first time Niece had ever heard James speechless. He started to speak a few times, but finally clamped his mouth shut, and stuck out his arm. She gave him a smile, "It is good to see that you have learned not to argue with a determined woman."

For that comment she received a glare and then a snarled, "Enough…. Just do what you have to, and get it over with."

She put the poultice on and then wrapped a piece of cloth she tore from the tail of her shirt around it. "Well, it looks like the storm is upon us. I am going inside." And she did just that as he followed her. They sat on canvas hammocks, which James had hung from the support trees. The wind came first and then shortly thereafter the rain. It was a nice calm storm. The pitter patter of the rain mixed with them both being tired made them fall asleep before dusk.

A/N: History note: Tobacco is a plant that grows natively in North and South America. It is in the same family as the potato and the pepper. It is believed that tobacco began growing in the Americas about 6,000 BC. As early as 1 BC, American Indians began using tobacco in many different ways, such as in religious and medicinal practices. Tobacco was believed to be a cure-all, and was used to dress wounds, as well as a pain killer. It was used to draw out poisons and infection from wounds, stings and bites, before it was known to be harmful.

Columbus brought citrus fruit seeds to The New World on his second trip. Citrus trees have been on a lot of the islands off the southern east coast since around 1500 AD. So the possibility of orange trees and tobacco plants being on the island is accurate.

And it's true about the cow dung. It has something to do with the ammonia in the dung. My cousin got stung by an ant on the toe one time, when we were out getting the cattle in from pasture. She was complaining and whining about it so much, my uncle told her to stick her toe in the fresh dung. She had a fit and he told her the same thing about being bitten on the butt, that he would have made her sit in it. She stuck her toe in it and the sting went away instantly. We always did it after that and it always worked. So I borrowed that line from my uncle.


	25. Stranded Forever?

A/N: There are some slightly sexual insinuating lines in part of this chapter. Not anything that I didn't leave pretty much up to your imagination. But nothing graphic, and it probably would fall under the T rating. But I am leaving it an M rating for safety. It is only in the ninth paragraph for those of you that want to skip that part.

Ye be warned….

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 25

Niece awoke to an odd sound in James' deep voice. He was mumbling in his sleep. She thought, _'That is odd, it isn't that cold out. But he sounds like he is shivering while he is talking.'_ She turned to look at him, and her hammock flipped her out on the sand.

"Damn, infernal contraption, it has a mind of its own," she said half to herself. Then she blinked and blinked again, as she saw James' hammock was actually shaking. She looked around, the canvas from their shelter was not moving. She didn't hear any wind at all, just the pitter patter of the gentle rainfall on the canvas. There was no reason for his hammock to be shaking, other than he was shivering.

"James?" she asked as she got up and went to him. He didn't answer her. She saw that indeed he was shivering. Then remembered the bite, or sting he had gotten on his arm. She uncovered it and it was red and swollen. She felt his forehead with the back of her hand. He was burning up. _'Oh great, just what I need is him having a reaction to the bite. I need to remember all my EMT training. Great, I have nothing sterile. I will have to do the best I can, with what I have.' _She thought.

She checked both of their coats. They were dry so she put them over him. She needed cold water. Without thinking about the rain, she took two of the coconut shells, and ran out to the stream for some cold water. She was soaked by the time she got back.

She tore a couple more pieces of cloth from her shirt tail. Then put them in one of the coconut bowls to get them wet. She put one under the nape of his neck, and one on his forehead. She took off the bandage. She looked at it for a minute thinking, _'I can't keep tearing strips of cloth from my shirt, or I will not have any left. I am going to have to try and wash this one the best I can for now. Wait, maybe I can tear some from James' shirt too.'_

She did just that, took both pieces of cloth, and ran back out to the stream. Where she cleaned them both as good as she could with sand and water. By the time she got back inside, she was wet clear to the skin. And her shirt was plastered to her. She tried to wring out some of the water, but didn't do a very good job. She shrugged and put another poultice on James' arm.

He mumbled, tossed and turned while she did this. Enough that she was afraid he was also going to fall out of his hammock. So she got another piece of canvas, to spread on the sand under his hammock. But she still had the problem of being soaking wet. She sighed and thought a moment. _'He is unconscious, and has already seen more of me than I care to admit.' _She shrugged and got out of her clothes, hanging them up to dry.

She gently and quietly took his legs under his knees, and set them over the side. She kept her hip against his side, so he wouldn't fall out of the hammock. She got her arms under his and around his chest, to lock her fingers together. With her back straight and her knees bent. She lifted his upper body off the hammock. And pushed the hammock with her hip, until his posterior slid out onto her thigh, where she let his weight slide his body down her leg, and onto the canvas, on the sand. She smiled to herself at her good work. He moaned a bit but didn't wake up. She covered him up with the coats, re-dampened the clothes, and put them under and on top of his head.

She still had the dilemma of being unclothed. She sighed again as she got under the coats with him, and cuddled up against him to keep him warm. She was still exhausted from the ordeal in the storm, and fell asleep again just as dusk came outside.

She was having a wonderful dream that Travis was making love to her. His hands worshipping her naked body, as his tongue explored her mouth in a gentle teasing way. She moaned and arched towards him…. She was a very deep, heavy sleeper when she was exhausted. She sighed and moaned in her sleep as she arched towards him again. She offered her tongue, in a duel that was erotic, it sent shivers up and down her spine. She moved one hand up to tangle her fingers in his hair. Her other hand slid toward his waist and lower. She came into contact with the evidence of his desire for her. Her mind went from the dream, to try and reason out her surroundings. It was all foggy, she gave herself over one last time. But the reasoning part of her mind told her this was not a dream, it was real. Her eyes flew open and she came fully awake… It was James she was with, not Travis!

She tried to push the tongue out of her mouth and scream at the same time, "Gjwames, skop thith."

When he didn't she bit down on his tongue and pushed with all her strength to get away from him. "Damn you James, I was dreaming you were Travis," she spat and wiped her hand across her mouth. She grabbed her coat off of him and stood up, backing away.

"What? You are laying here with me, completely unclothed. I am a man, what did you expect me to do? I took advantage of what I thought you were bloody offering," he said sarcastically. Then he stuck out his tongue and put a finger to it. He pulled the digit away and peered at it intently. "Well, at least there is no blood from your assault, with those hellishly sharp teeth of yours."

"Next time there will be blood, lots of it, and it will be yours." She warned him with narrowed eyes and a slightly scolding voice. She put a frown on her face, and one finger on her the corner of her mouth in thought, before she spoke to him again. "Your gentlemanly manners must have deserted you, when you got on board a bloody pirate ship, pretending to be a bloody pirate." She raised her nose a notch in a snobbish way and she said that. Then reached with the hand that had been by her mouth, for his forehead, he pulled away.

"What are you doing?" He asked, more than a touch of sarcasm still in his voice, as he threw off his coat and also stood.

"Checking for fever, you had a pretty high one for a while yesterday. Now hold still," she said as she reached for his forehead again. He let her touch him as he rolled his eyes and then glared at her like she was naïve and it disgusted him. "You still seem to be a touch warm," She said as she shook her head at the look on his face.

"I can assure you it is not from a fever," James spat as he kept his coat in front of his waist.

She couldn't help it, she giggled, "I'm sorry, I was trying not to notice that." And she blatantly looked at his coat in front of his groin, before she continued. But since you saw fit to point it out. I did notice. Now back to what this is all about. You have to stay within the bounds James."

"Yeah, I get that, very clearly," he growled, his voice going deeper. It sent shivers down Niece's spine.

"The rain has stopped, go out side so I may dress," Niece continued giggling as she shooed him with her hand. Morning had come and with it the rain had stopped. It felt like it was going to be a hot muggy day.

"I will go and check out the wood situation. It may be too early to start a signal fire, but you never know what is in Barbossa's mind," James said indignantly.

They continued for a week to set a signal fire, waiting for someone to see it. James was good at getting a fire started. This made Niece happy since she needed matches or a lighter to start one. Even then she had never been good at getting campfires started. But she was good at finding things to eat and making crude implements to use to make their survival easier. James was good at making and keeping the shelter in good water tight shape. He was also good at spearing fish to cook to eat.

At first things went fine. They talked and told one another about their lives. James showed Niece some of the finer points of sword fighting and how to work with a dagger as a weapon. They became closer and a friendship formed. They had agreed that they would stay away from anything that had to do with any kind of other relationship.

However, James did keep to his promise of before, that if they weren't rescued soon, he would pursue her. He made it clear that he found her attractive with an inner beauty. She pointed out to him that in the real world that was the same as saying someone was ugly. And that he had said something like that when he had abducted her to try and capture Jack. He shrugged whispering that it was all part of the script. He pointed out that did go along with people that were more superficial snobs. Which he was not one of. She let the subject drop, hoping that they would be rescued before she had to make the choice.

By the end of the first week James started his pursuit. Nice thought it was too soon. They both were snapping and arguing by the time a second week passed. Niece had spent several nights out under the trees because she couldn't handle the arguments. James never stopped trying to convince her that they may never be found, and they should make the best of the situation.

She kept him at arms length, but was losing her resolve and starting to believe that he was correct. She had to hold out until the end of the week. Someone should come for them by then. If not, then he was probably correct and they would be spending the rest of their lives here. They each dealt with it in their own way. Niece became snappish and depressed. James became angry and lustful. It became a love/hate relationship, mostly hate.

Jack the monkey kept coming up to Barbossa, chattering in his ear and then running off, only to come back in a few seconds. Jack had been doing this all night and Barbossa was getting a bit frustrated with the monkey. He shouted over the noise of the storm, "Pintel, get over here, take Jack to me cabin and lock him in!"

"Aye, Cap'n," Pintel said as he took the chattering monkey off Barbossa's shoulder. He tried without success to keep from getting bit. He kept knocking on the door to the cabin. He thought Niece may not be able to hear over the noise of the storm, or maybe she was too scared to answer. So he cracked open the door and dropped Jack inside. "Sorry Cap'n, the Cap'n be wantin' Jack inside wif you. He be upset by the storm." Pintel shut the door tight without looking inside. He didn't want to embarrass her if she was scared.

The storm pushed The Pearl out of its reach early the next morning. Barbossa shouted at Gibbs, "Check our position, see where we be. Compare it with the reading we took as the storm hit. We be goin' ta the closest port ta make repairs. We be goin' back ta where I had ya take the reading, when Norrington and the other man be lost at sea. We should at least make an attempt ta find 'em. With the loss of the mast, they may have been able ta ride the storm out ta dry land."

Barbossa stood at the helm, "All hands, check for damage and report back ta me immediately," he shouted. "Marty, go and tell Captain Pegasus it be safe for her ta come on deck."

"Aye Cap'n," Marty said as he hurried to the door of the captain's cabin and knocked, there was no answer except the screaming of Jack. He waited and knocked again. There was still no answer, just more screaming from Jack. So he tried pounding harder, nothing. He opened the door. Jack shot out and straight for Barbossa screaming, hissing and chattering the whole way.

Marty watched him go and then called out, "Cap'n Pegasus? Cap'n Barbossa says it be safe now….. Cap'n?" Marty walked into the cabin and looked around. It was empty. "Oh dear, not good," he said as he ran back out and up to Captain Barbossa.

Barbossa was trying to calm down Jack and wasn't succeeding. He had an ominous foreboding overcome him as he watched Jack scream again, then scamper for the cabin door as Marty walked up to him. "Cap'n, she isn't there," Marty cringed as he said it.

"What?" Bellowed Barbossa, he bellowed again for Gibbs to take the helm, as he went down the stairs three at a time. He slammed open the door and checked every where. Jack on his shoulder or close to it, jumping on and off of his shoulder. Then jumping up and down as if to tell Barbossa. _'I was trying to tell you that she was gone the whole time. You dense human._'

She wasn't there. Barbossa knew she wouldn't be by Jack's antics. He stomped back out onto the deck. "You and you," He pointed to a couple of crew members, "Search the holds." He continued to pick several more and told them to check for her all over the ship. "Bloody wench," he muttered.

They came back all afraid to tell Barbossa that she wasn't on the ship. Gibbs had taken it upon himself to have Cotton watch the helm, while he took note of who was there. What he found, he was afraid to tell Barbossa, but the sooner he got it over with the better it would be.

"Cap'n, I am afraid that everyone is accounted for except, Norrington and the lass. Cap'n, I am sorry, the other man I saw go overboard, must have been the lass," Gibbs stuttered, crossed himself and tried to keep the sting he felt behind his eyes.

Barbossa was silent, but the anger was apparent in his eyes. Along with something else, fear. His hands were clinched at his sides and then he took one and rubbed it over his face. His voice shook as he quietly said, "Mister Gibbs, I have that already figured out. Bring her about."

Gibbs sighed, took a deep breath and plunged ahead as he said, "Cap'n we can't make good time, we need repairs. There is too much damage. We are takin' on water and she won't stay afloat unless we make those repairs first. I'm sorry we can't go after the lass just yet."

Barbossa gestured with a hand, "Then do what needs ta be done and get it done quickly or there will be hell ta pay." He stalked off to his cabin and slammed the door after him.

Barbossa stayed in his cabin until Gibbs managed to limp The Pearl into the closest port. It was a pirate port in the Bahaman islands. Repairs were started and progress made, in spite of Barbossa's constant yelling and foul mood. On the second day The Zeus also made port. Having not sustained as much damage they had come about after the storm to check on The Pearl. The minor repairs were done to The Zeus while they were under way.

Barbossa went over to The Zeus and found Jack on deck as soon as they docked. "Where be Niece's friend, Lydia?"

"Why?" Jack asked frowning, before offering the information.

"Jack, Jack, must ya always question me? I have a need ta tell her that she was swept overboard. Norrington went in after her. So they both be missin'. The Pearl sustained too much damage and was takin' on water. We had ta make port. I want ta use The Zeus ta go and find her. The way I figure it, Lydia will want ta come along," Barbossa rolled his eyes, sighed, exasperated with having to explain himself to Jack.

"Oh, fine. You will be wantin' me ta stay and captain The Pearl." Jack grinned, then frowned at the seriousness of the situation.

"No, Jack, I want ya ta stay here and get the repairs done on my ship. No sense ta be takin' two ships back. I need Gibbs for navigation, the rest of the crew be stayin' here with you. You will wait for us ta get back," Barbossa glared at Jack.

"Fine, I will get Lizzie and send Gibbs over to you," Jack made his usual hand gestures looking down his nose at Barbossa. "Seems we are not ta keep ta the code?"

"Not this time Jack," Barbossa growled as he stomped off toward the helm of The Zeus. Barbossa bellowed for Will and got results right away. He told Will about Niece and Norrington and why he thought they had a good chance to make land. He told Will to tell Lydia while he got together with Robert Hawke, Captain Pegasus' first mate and told him what had happened. The Zeus set sail within the hour.

It took several more days once they got to the coordinates where The Pearl had lost her mast, and the two had gone over board. Barbossa had a meeting with Gibbs, Will, and Robert. They all settled on which direction the wind had been going during the storm. Where the currents were and where they would tend to send the mast, and the two survivors. If indeed they had survived. They started their search of the islands that were closest.

They had searched over a dozen islands and found nothing in a week. The start of the second week hopes were fading. They had seen nothing through spyglasses or from the crows nest. Barbossa was getting more aggressive and angrier by the day. Jack also got worse, he bit people for no reason. Lydia's silence was getting on everyone's nerves. Will could do nothing to about it, no matter how much he reassured her that Niece could survive if they got to an island.

The good and bad about the islands in the area was, that there were many, many islands. That was good because Niece and Norrington could have got to one of them. The bad was that they had to search every one of them and that took time, with as many as there were.

It was decided that if they hadn't found them by the end of this second week, they would give up and go back to port, then back to Jamaica to get back to their place in time. Barbossa felt responsible for the loss. He thought, _'What am I going to tell their families when we get back to our place in time? I have no idea, and no one is going to believe us anyway.'_


	26. Letting go of a Friend

Disclaimer: I don't own all the usual Disney things. I just own my OC's.

A/N: Sorry I am so long to update again. Lots of changes at my work. So I have been very busy. I do want to get this finished before AWE comes out though. It is going to make this story out dated. So here hoping that I get it finished, in the next couple of chapters, for all my reviewers.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 26 – Letting go of a Friend

The first day of the third week Barbossa looked through his spyglass. He lowered it slowly. Gibbs' watched him from the helm. Lydia looked up to him from where she sat on deck. Will sat next to her fiddling with the buckle on his baldric.

"Will, tell Barbossa to stop looking. Niece is gone. We have been looking for two weeks. Maybe if they are still alive someone will find them eventually. I only hope that we can get back where we belong without Norrington. I have to go back. I have to tell her family, that the person who is still there is not Niece. And try to explain the probability of two parallel timelines," Lydia whispered, as she choked back her tears. She had had two weeks to mourn. Now all she wanted to do, was get whatever needed to be done over with, and get back home.

"All right, I understand. Barbossa and Gibbs feel they are responsible for talking you two into coming back in the first place. I don't think Gibbs is ever going to forgive himself, and Barbossa is a lot more sensitive than everyone knows. That is the only reason that we have stayed this long searching," Will whispered, as he got up and slowly walked towards the helm.

Gibbs shook his head and put his hand out to stop Will. "No need ta talk ta the Cap'n. He already guessed what Miss Lydia had ta say. He just gave me the orders ta come about. Lord, but I can't bring myself ta do it lad. Please take the helm and bring us about."

"All right, Mister Gibbs," Will said sadly, as he put a hand on Gibbs' shoulder. Gibbs crossed himself, saying a mumbled prayer for Niece and Norrington. Will looked up at the sails, shouted some orders as he took the wheel. The Zeus was turned and heading back to the north.

The winds were favorable, and it only took them two days to get back to the port, where they left The Pearl and the others. Will did most of the time at the helm, and had the others of the crew help. Gibbs was in no shape to do much of anything. Barbossa was so surly and gruff, that no one said a word to him except Will.

When someone from the crew of The Pearl saw The Zeus, he shouted down that the ship had been sighted. Everyone came out on deck or went to the docks looking in the direction of The Zeus. They were all waiting for it to get close enough to look for Niece and Norrington.

"They didn't find them," Jack spoke first. He sadly, as he took off his hat and put it across his chest.

"No, dey doan find them," Tia said from beside Jack. He jumped at her words.

"Aghh, must you always sneak up on a person?" Jack asked, crinkling his nose, while looking down it at her.

"Yes."

"Well, ya better be careful who ya sneak up on, or ya could be skewered," Jack shot back.

"I weel no get stab, Jack Sparrow. Dis ding I know. I know her is alive as well," Tia said. She walked to the dock and met Barbossa coming off The Zeus. "_Captan_, da _wing horse wo-man_ her alive. James Norrington him alive. Him will change her destiny, you must fine her before dis ding happen. It is not her destiny do be wit' him."

"I think ye be wrong Tia dear, we looked every where. If she be alive, then we could not find her," Barbossa grunted. He hesitated, as he felt a pang of something inside himself. He continued more gruffly than he intended. "We have ta be about our business."

"_Captan_, two ship, wit' many eye are better," Tia continued to try to persuade Barbossa.

Gibbs walked up as he crossed himself, "Cap'n, she be right. The Pearl be shallower on the draft. She may be able to get in closer to the islands. You can't just leave the lass out there with Norrington, if she is alive. We need her Cap'n."

Jack had also walked up, as well as Will, Lydia and Liz, "Uh Barbossa, I am havin' a thought here, that it would be better ta just go find them."

"Now you see Jack, that be the same attitude that lost you The Pearl twice before. Ye give up too easy. But I will consent to ya going back ta look for them. Meanwhile, The Pearl will go on ta our destination, get what we came to get and meet ya back here," Barbossa said.

"No, _Captan,_ of us all, you mus' go. Trust witty Jack judgment on dis," Tia came to stand in front of Barbossa.

"All right, get yer scurvy hides back on the ships. Miss Dalma says we have a need ta find the wench," Barbossa barked the orders. The rest of the crews had been rounded up, and on the ships so they could leave with the out going tide. The crews and captains of the ships were the same as before the storm.

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It had been three weeks. James was pursing Niece with a vengeance. She kept putting him off, but it was getting harder, when he was the only other person on the island. It was past the time that she had allowed for them to be rescued. In that time, they both had told each other their life stories. They told of good times and the bad times, even down to if they still had tonsils or not. They knew more about each other than most couples did.

Niece could feel James wearing down her resolve not to get involved with each other, there was the chance that they might still be rescued. This angered James and they argued much of the last week. Niece finally stayed away from James as much as she could. She took walks, and kept an eye on where James was, so she could stay away from him.

They both had been all over the island. On really clear days they could see land to the west. Niece wanted to try and make it to that land. James thought about it at first, and then he changed his mind, as other ideas came to mind. They weren't even that vigilant with the signal fire anymore. It would be out sometimes for hours at a time. With less and less frequency they each looked out to sea for a ship on the horizon.

James was still perfectly happy to stay where they were. That way he had Niece all to himself. He could take his time trying to woo her. If she didn't come around to his way of thinking then he would just wait longer. She would eventually. Once he had her, then they could go to the mainland, and find passage back to Port Royal. He would do the right thing by her of course. If they were going to be stuck here, they might as well be with someone who knew everything about each other, including what time they were from.

James tried every time he was near her to break her down with seemingly innocent touches, smiles, conversation, and brushing against her. Niece was losing the battle. She longed for the touch of a man, and she admitted, James was very easy on her eyes. She had always been attracted to his cousin Travis. For several more days she tried to keep her distance, so she wouldn't fall to his charms.

Niece sat by the waterfall debating if she should take a swim. She preferred the fresh water to the salt. James had taken off for another walk. He hadn't been gone that long. She might have time to swim a bit before he returned. She looked around, there was nothing but some birds in the trees, and flowers around the pond. She stripped off her clothes and walked into the water. She dove under and came up to float on her back, lazily looking at the clouds.

James didn't get far before he realized that he'd forgotten his favorite knife. He might run across some kind of fruit or vegetable that they could eat. In the three weeks they had been there things were getting harder to find though. He came back by way of the hill at the top of the waterfall. He heard tinkling laughter from the pond below. He peered over the edge. Niece was floating on her back in the pond, and she was without clothes. He took in the sight of her charms, which were unknowingly offered to his gaze. She was laughing at the antics of a couple of birds, on the other side of the pond from where he was.

James decided that this was the opportune time to win her over. He quickly and quietly went down the hill, took off his clothes and waded into the water. He dipped under just as Niece turned at some small sound he made. He surfaced where he went under. Their eyes met. Their gaze locked and stayed that way. She sighed, he smiled. She noticed that he had the same smile that his cousin had.

"You know, the first time I saw Travis smile, he stole my heart. Even though you have that same smile, you are making a mistake, if you think you will steal my heart from him. You must know that my heart will always belong to him," Niece said softly. She got a far away look in her eyes.

"I have faith that I will be able in time, to erase his memory from your mind. Niece, all we have is each other. We need each other," James said matter of factly. He waded through the water towards her.

Niece backed away as far as she could, James followed. Her feet left the ground as she got into deeper water. His greater height, allowed him to continue to wade towards her. She floated backwards, never breaking eye contact with him. Suddenly she came up against the cliff that the waterfall came from. She sucked in her breath, as she realized she was trapped.

James never took his sea green eyes from hers as he closed the distance. She tried to push off of the cliff with her feet, and make an escape, but he caught her around the waist. She sighed and gave up, as his lips came down on hers for a hard, hungry kiss. His kiss came from waiting too long for that kiss. She gave over to his kisses and caresses, but did not offer to caress him back. He rendered her helpless. She also had waited too long with no one for company except James. She returned his kisses but did not return his caresses. His hands explored her body, as she took in the delicious smell and feel of being in his arms. She sighed again and wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her and carried her out of the water to the sand. They lay next to each other still in a feverish embrace.

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Tia came to Jack after mumbling over her crab claws that she had thrown on a barrel. She arranged and rearranged them. He jumped, as she spoke right behind his back. "I think we need to go toward de coast. Tell Barbossa." And then she turned away muttering.

"Stop coming up on me like that," Jack yelled at her retreating back. Then he went to Cotton. "Send the bird to Barbossa. Tell him to come about and head up the coast." He started to walk away then asked, "The bird can do that? Can it not?"

Cotton's parrot squawked, "Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!"

"Good, go birdy, go." Jack shooed at the parrot as it flew off towards The Pearl.

Gibbs was at the helm of The Pearl when he saw Cotton's parrot flying towards them. He yelled down to Marty, "Go get the Cap'n, I think Cotton's parrot has something to tell us."

Marty ran and got Barbossa then cam back with him to the helm. The parrot had landed and taken off several times in the same direction, only to come back and repeat the action.

"What is that bird trying to tell us," Barbossa asked as he walked up the stairs to the helm.

"I think he wants us to head that way." Gibbs pointed west.

"Then we need ta turn west, Mister Gibbs," Barbossa said as he gestured to follow the bird.

"Aye, Cap'n," Gibbs gave the orders to adjust the sails to catch the wind as he turned the wheel to head west.

As long as they went the way the parrot wanted he remained on board. Two hours passed. When they got to the coast, it again flew off, but to the south. Barbossa had them adjust again when, 'Sail to the south' was heard from aloft. They turned and Barbossa took up his spyglass. "It be The Zeus. Meet up with her."

"Oi Barbossa, "Jack said when they got close enough. "Tia thinks we should stay close to the coast."

Will added to the conversation, "I think we should stay together too. Any islands we come on, one ship can go on one side of it while the other goes on the opposite side. What do you think?"

"I think you are right Master Turner. That is exactly what we will do. The Pearl is shallower on the draft, so we will take the mainland side." Barbossa walked off giving orders to turn toward the first island that they saw.

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger on the island… As a certain Captain would say, 'I couldn't resist mate….' But I will hint that lots of action is coming your way.


	27. Arguments and Fights

A/N: I will be finishing up in the next chapter. I have lost most of my reviewers because of taking so long in between updates. But people are still reading it, by the number of hits. I wanted to finish before AWE and didn't, so I changed things a bit

Disclaimer: The usual, Disney owns the good stuff, I own my OCs.

Warning: Nothing bad, just some references to sexual happenings, not the actual happening…lol… Anyway, not anything more than Disney has made reference to, when there are children nine months later.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 27-Arguments and Fights

Barbossa gave orders for sails to be taken in, so they would slow down going by each island. Jack did the same on the other side of each island. They continued to do this every time they came to an island. But there were hundreds of islands in the area that they thought Niece and Norrington should be in. It took two weeks to cover all the islands they came across. At times the islands were inhabited. So they would send a shore party, to find out what they could, and if either Niece or Norrington had been seen. The answer was always the same, they had not been seen.

After two weeks, Barbossa wanted to get on with business. Tia wanted to stay and look some more. She knew they were alive. The crews on each ship spilt into sides. There was a lot of arguing and fighting among them. Eventually, one by one, they all came to think Tia had been mistaken.

They decided to get what they came for, at the island that the Lost Colony had been on. Get back to Tortuga, and then what they had to do to get back home. Most of them thought they wouldn't be able to get home without Norrington. But Jack had an idea about that very thing. He was keeping it to himself until the opportune time. There had been enough fighting and distension. By the time they headed back to Tortuga more than a month had passed.

When they reached Tortuga, Barbossa called a meeting of those that needed to get back, in the hold of The Pearl. "Ragetti and Pintel watch the door. I think we can talk freely here, without worry that we need to talk like we are from this time. I called you here because this chapter of the story is at a finish. We have done as the script says. The script ends with getting the items we needed to take with us to Shipwreck Island. That is done. Maybe this will all end if I take Norrington's place. We have never tried it. Maybe that is all we needed to do. We should go get the horses and try it."

"Can you ride?" Will asked incredulous.

"Yes, you whelp, I can ride," Barbossa bit back at him.

"No need for name calling Barbossa. It was an important question," Will pointed out.

Tensions were still high. Barbossa fingered his sword, Will did the same. To break the tension of the moment, Jack stood up and swaggered in between them. "I hate to break up this little display. But we have more important matters to tend to. I am not so sure it will work with you just replacing Norrington."

"What do you mean?" Gibbs asked. As the rest of them looked at Jack in bafflement.

"I mean, I think we need his sword. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that it was his sword all this time that we needed. If you remember, he took it to his house the first time we came back. We never used it after that, and we never ended up at the correct place in time. We were always just a little bit off." Jack waited for a response.

"Jack has a point there," Marty agreed.

Jack shrugged. "Should we take a vote or something?"

Barbossa growled, "We can, and I hate to agree with you, but you are right. We need Norrington's sword. We should take a vote since two of us are being left behind."

They took a vote, everyone said they should try and get back. That done, they took a couple of days to get supplies for the ships. They left to get the horses. They decided to leave Lydia, Will and Marty to bring the horses to the cove by Port Royal.

Will was too easily recognizable in Port Royal, Lydia didn't know her way around and Marty would also be noticed. It was decided that Gibbs and Barbossa would be the ones to go and get Norrington's sword.

They would also leave a note, so Beckett would come to them. They left The Zeus anchored in the cove, by the horses. And took The Pearl back to the other side of Jamaica where they had had the first fight.

Gibbs and Barbossa left, to leave the note and steal the sword. The note told Beckett that The Pearl was in the cove, and so was Jack Sparrow. They were to get back as soon as they could. Barbossa had no trouble stealing the sword from Norrington's house. But Gibbs was almost caught delivering the note. He managed to get back about two steps in front of the soldiers that Beckett sent. Everyone was in place when the fighting started.

Barbossa and Jack started the horses, as the others were fighting next to The Pearl. They met, the swords clashed, and for a split second nothing happened. The fighting continued. One of the members of the party that need to go back, was pushed outside the bounds that were to be stayed inside. Finally, a blinding blue-white flash, and then smoke and fog.

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James held Niece in his arms on the sand by the waterfall. He didn't want to let her go just yet. He knew that she was feeling guilty, about what had just happened again between them. He was silent, letting her think things through. She tried to get up, but he held her tight.

"It was bound to happen," James said softly against her hair.

"That doesn't make it right. And I keep letting it happen since that first time," she replied, at the same time as she pushed harder against his chest. "Let me up, I need to think. And without clothes I can think of nothing except the lust that just occurred."

"I find offense with your choice of words darlin'. Yes, there was a certain amount of lust. But in my opinion, we made love." James huffed, but he still held tight to her.

"James that is what I need to think about. I do not love you, so in my mind it is lust and nothing more. I let my body control my mind. And what is it with your choice of endearment? You have picked up Jack's term. And actually, it sounds better coming from him!" She retorted, finally managing to unwrap his long arms, from around her and get up.

"You only say that because you do like it. You like it too much by all the protestations you are making," He laughed at her retreating back.

She made the mistake of looking down at him. _'God, he has a magnificent body and a very handsome face. But is that the only reason I am attracted to him? And the stupid man is right, I do like him to call me darlin' the way that Jack does.'_ But she sniffed instead, "Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"Do too. Want me to show you how I know you do?" James asked as he came up off the ground and put his pants on.

"All right smart a, show me." She put on her clothing.

He walked over like a predator stalking his prey. He didn't touch her or even get real close to her. He dropped the tone of his voice to a deep timbre, tilted his head at a jaunty angle, plastered his crookedly sexy smile on his face, looked into her ice blue eyes with his sea green eyes on fire, and simply said, "You do too like it darlin'."

Her mouth dropped open a fraction, before she popped it closed. She felt the blush coming, and tried to think of something besides, his voice and that luscious mouth of his. Then the goose bumps came and she felt weak in the knees. The breath left her in a small moan, "I concede."

She was quickly in his arms, drinking in the heady scent of his body. He lowered his head, tenderly stirring her to open for his kiss. The heat between them was electrifying. She wanted more, but he broke the kiss and set her away from him. "You see darlin', do you not?"

"Yes, but if circumstances were different, things would be different. We were forced into this," she waved her arm to indicate everything around them.

"In this time marriages were usually arranged. The people learned to love one another, or not. But they usually always made the best of it. I think that is what we should do. Am I that vile, that you only want me to use my body for your pleasure? He stalked off toward their shelter, to let her think about that.

She hurried to stop him. "James, stop. You are not vile. On the contrary, it's me. I am trying to fight my feelings for you. And, yes, I do have feelings for you, and they are more than just lust. But I am frightened and I do feel guilty. I don't mean to disagree with you, it is just that there may be the tiniest hope, that we will go back home. That is what worries me the most."

"I do not think we will. Enough time has passed, that the bloody script is probably near to being finished. Jack and Barbossa know that, and will be trying to get back before this movie in the series is finished." She nodded her head in agreement as they both looked out to sea.

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The smoke cleared, the fighting continued, but the bright lights were still there. Only the light came from reflectors and lights from cameras. They were back where they needed to be.

The director yelled, "Cut."

They stopped, looking around. Lydia went to Gibbs and whispered, "I take it we are back and it worked this time."

"Seems so, let's go join the others," Gibbs put a hand on her shoulder, leading her to the group that were quietly talking. They passed Will on the way to the group. Gibbs asked, "You going to join us Will?"

"I have to go, I have an appointment," Will said, as he started to walk away, and then stopped. "Or did you need me for something?"

Gibbs and Lydia frowned at each other, and then back at Will. Gibbs wondered how Will would have known he had another appointment. He knew Will was friendly, and would stay if he had any idea what was going on. So he said, "I just thought with all we had been through, it would be nice to celebrate."

"I will come back for the conclusion party." Will also frowned. Then he looked at Lydia, "Oh I'm sorry. Since you came on board so late, and didn't really get to talk with us much, maybe you would like to ask me some questions. I have a few minutes."

Lydia looked panicked at Gibbs. But Gibbs saved her from her dilemma by saying, "Yes, I have gotten to know Lydia quite well, and she is a big admirer of yours. She is a little tongue tied around you. But she was wondering if you could give her your autograph?"

"Oh. Sorry. I will get you a signed photo of me. What was your name again?"

Lydia's mouth opened, closed and then she blurted out, "Thank you Mister Bloom, that would be great. My name is Lydia."

"You can call me Orlando, since we did work on the same movie together. I will get that to you soon," He said, as he kissed her cheek and waved good bye.

Lydia and Gibbs looked at each other again, and said at the same time, "Not good." They hurried off to join the others. That were now looking at them, wondering what was taking so long for them to get there. And also wondering where Will had went.

By the look on their faces, Barbossa said, "This can't be good news."

Lydia heard Barbossa as they came up to them. She confirmed that it was not by saying, "It's not, that is not the Orlando….er… Will that was with us.

"She's right," Gibbs chimed in. "That isn't the right Will."

"And this movie is wrapped up. I guess we can try and simulate it, to get back and get him. But it may be best to wait for them to shoot more of the next movie," Jack said. "It can't be that long, since we were shooting them all at the same time."

"I guess we wait, there is nothing we can do," Barbossa agreed.

"Well, I won't be with you this time. I need to go home, but I have to try and explain all this to Niece's family first. They are here in California," Lydia said. "I am sure her family won't want Whitney. Niece was the only one who was horse crazy in her family. I will need a horse trailer and a truck to drive back to Oregon though."

"I will talk to the wranglers, they will see that the horses get home. You go ahead and fly home," Jack said. "It is best you go soon, and put this behind you. Maybe leave just as soon as you tell her family."

Lydia left for Oregon the next day, after Jack and Barbossa helped her do the explaining to Niece's family. The horses were soon to follow. Lydia had been correct in that Niece's family couldn't keep Whitney, so they gave her to Lydia.

A/N: This chapter finishes the story for most of the charaters. The next chapter will finish it for the other three.


	28. Where Loyalties Lie

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 28-Where Loyalties Lie

Niece sighed as she looked at James out of the corner of her eye. He didn't look at her, but he did smile her favorite smile. She sighed louder. He smiled wider. She got up and sauntered over to him. He was leaning on one elbow, with a leg bent. He was on his side, on the sand, watching her walk up. "You ready to leave yet, you have had me to yourself for over a week," she asked him, as she tickled his bare foot with a toe.

"You give up darlin'? Have I changed your mind about me? You realize we are stuck, and we might as well make the best of it? I don't think we need to be too careful anymore about the script. It must have wrapped up by now." He jerked his foot away from her toe.

"Well, I would love to stay here with you longer James. But I have a sneaking suspicion that you have known all along how to get off of here, and it is time. You know we may yet find a way to get back. I already feel I was mistaken to let you seduce me. I should have kept you at arms length," she sighed, as she played with the necklace. Putting it between her lips to slide the horse back and forth on the chain.

James growled, as he came up off the ground, far enough to grab her around the waist, and pull her down with him. "Do you know what that does to me darlin'?" And his lips touched the corner of her mouth, before he devoured her in a searing kiss.

As they parted, she moaned, "Oh, I think I do, why do you think I do it so often?" She nipped his bottom lip. It sent him over the edge and they became entangled in the moment and gave themselves over to it.

Quite a while later James said, "As for what you said before we uh…. Well, you know. I don't think we are going to get back. I have been thinking this over, and it may have to do with my sword. I wasn't using the same one after we came back that first time. If I know Jack and Barbossa, and I think I do. One or the other of them, has figured out by now about that sword. I am willing to bet they are no longer in this time. And neither is the sword."

"They could be if they are stuck without you to get them back," she tried to think, but it was giving her a headache. She thought, _'He would have to bring that up after we just had such a lovely time.' _

"I don't think so, I think they are gone," he replied. He picked up a strand of her hair and twisted it around his finger. Kissing her cheek and nose.

She turned toward him. She blew in his ear, and smiled when he turned toward her for a kiss. She whispered, "They are still here. You care to make a wager?"

"Give over, they are no longer here and you know it." James argued. Breaking the contact. "Must you always lose the moment, after you tease me into continuing where we just left off? Beside the fact is, we would both wager the same thing," he laughed.

"I suppose you are correct. And I like to tease you, it is fun." She laughed before continuing. "It has been too long, hasn't it? If what you say about the sword is true, then we will know when we get back, and it is no longer there." She sighed, smiling at him. He hugged her, kissing her hair.

"I have a surprise for you. You better get together anything you would like to take with you." He wiggled his eyebrow at her.

"Ah, so that is what you were doing before you seduced me that day. You already have a raft?" She guessed. She put her hands on his chest and pushed at him in mock anger. It would be faster getting back to Port Royal, if indeed he did have the raft already done.

"You got me there. Yes, the raft is waiting. We leave with the tide. Which is just about enough time to get to the other side of the island and get said raft," he smiled that wickedly sexy smile of his, which she now adored.

They made it to the mainland before night fall. Niece found a road, and they decided to head south. The road looked well traveled. Soon they came upon a rather small town. Some inquiries lead them to a church, where James told the priest what had happened, who he was, and that Niece was his fiancée.

Niece started to speak, but James put his arm around her and squeezed her to silence. He asked the priest to marry them, in light of the fact that they had been alone on a deserted island for a few weeks. Then she protested, "James, you know…"

James interrupted, "Excuse us, I need to talk privately with my fiancée."

"By all means, under these dire circumstances, you should be wed immediately," the priest said pointedly to Niece, as he left them.

"We have to marry. I cannot take you back unless we are. It isn't done. Your reputation is in ruins. That priest will not let it pass that we have been on an island by ourselves for so long. Here all it takes is one night to be alone with a man, even if the deed hasn't been done, it is assumed that it has. You have been compromised by me." James had her by both arms and she was trying to wiggle out of his grasp. She noticed that James made sure they were still within hearing of the priest. That the priest was listening intently was obvious.

"I am not of your class," she whispered, so the priest couldn't hear.

"No one will need to know that. Beside the fact that your manner of speech says you are high born. No questions will be asked because of my high rank. But questions would arise, as to who you are, if we are not married, and have proof that we are in deed married." James took her none too gently by the arm, and pulled her toward an alcove in the church. Even though they had moved far enough away that the priest could no longer hear them.

"But you are already married," she spat, as she pried his hand off of her arm.

"Not in this time, I am not. As I see it, we are here and we are going to have to live out the rest of our lives here. We have already discussed this at length. We are never going to be able to get back." He grabbed her and shook her. "Stop this nonsense and just do as is expected of us here."

She pulled out of his grasp, thinking she'd left some skin behind. "I still don't want to marry you. I know all your arguments for it. But I like my freedom. I will find my ship, and…. And…. And, go back to what I am now familiar with."

"Freedom? Now you sound like Jack and that fickle Elizabeth. No. you won't find your ship. I won't have you dangling at the end of a noose. I won't have Beckett find out who you really are. He never saw you when I had you at my house. I couldn't bear to see anything happen to you, and I couldn't bear being here alone. Anymore than you could bear it, if things were reversed, and despite all your declarations to the contrary. Please, for once in your life, just do as some one asks of you." He hugged her to him. She was stiff in his arms at first, and then she held on to him.

"I suppose you are right, let's do this and get it done, before I change my mind again." She smiled up at him.

Under the circumstances, the priest was glad to marry them right away. The priest brought in a couple of people to witness, and all the papers were signed and dated.

After the ceremony the priest was more willing to spend time just giving them information. They weren't on the mainland, they were on one of several hundred islands off the coast, of what today is Florida. They were close to Nassau. The priest sent them to a man, that would take them to Nassau for a small price.

In Nassau, they managed to sell or trade a few things, for more decent clothes and passage to Port Royal. The trip to Port Royal was uneventful. James had sent a message on ahead that they would be coming.

Lieutenant Groves was waiting with a couple of other men, that Niece recognized as Murtogg and Mullroy. James asked the Lieutenant to help her, by taking her to his house. The other two went with James to Beckett's office, where he had been summoned to go immediately upon arrival.

"Lieutenant Groves, at your service Mrs. Norrington." The Lieutenant bowed, and offered her his arm, which she took.

'_It is going to take me quite a while to get used to the manners of the people here. I hope I don't offend anyone. I have to remember not to use contractions and refine my speech also.'_ She thought.

She decided to have a conversation with the Lieutenant, while they walked to the carriage. He handed her in, and followed her. He sat opposite of her. But commented politely, "I had no idea that Admiral Norrington had a fiancée, it is quite a nice surprise."

She didn't want to give out too much information, so she managed to blush and said, "Thank you Lieutenant." Then she changed the subject. She got to James' house and the servants recognized her, but wisely said nothing. She was sitting in the parlor when James came in the door.

"Any problems darlin'?" He whispered to her, as he brushed a kiss to her forehead, for the benefit of the two servants that happened to be in the parlor.

"None, but we need to talk about my background and our background. I was asked about it quite innocently, by the Lieutenant," she whispered, as she kissed his cheek.

"I figured as much. Let us go to my study," He took her arm, and led her to the study.

They decided that she would be from the colonies, since she didn't have an accent. That he had met her there a few years ago, when he had been trying to catch Jack. He had seen her again, when she had come to visit relatives. And they had fallen instantly in love. He had followed her back to the colonies, when she had left to go home. They had been married there with her family present.

"I have to report to duty with Beckett tomorrow morning. He has some pressing matter to attend to. Since the Royal Navy is at his disposal for now, I am obliged to go," he told her.

"I understand, there isn't much to do here at night anyway. Let's just eat something, and then retire," she yawned.

"I can think of something better to do than sleep," he smiled crookedly, his green eyes capturing hers. She leaned back into him and he turned her to give her a kiss so intense that eating something was totally forgotten. He backed her to the door, locking it behind her, all the while ravishing her mouth with hungry kisses. Clothes were hastily removed. They never left the study that night.

The next morning, as soon as James left, she found some pants, put them on, and went down to the stables. She knew the servants had seen her in pants before. And hoped none of them would report back to James, that she had taken a horse, and ridden out in them. She looked all the horses over. She picked one that looked like he had stamina and was fast. She wanted to be where she was going and back before James came got home. She had no idea how long he would be gone.

She took the road out of town making sure she wasn't followed. She thought about going to the top of the mountain that she and Jack had gone up, but didn't have a spyglass. So she decided to go all the way to the cove where the horses had been left so long ago. She took the path to where the horses had been left. Once on that trail, she brought the horse to a fast canter. It still took her longer than she thought to get to the cove. She came around the last turn to a clear view to the cove. She was very surprised to see her ship The Zeus there.

She had to see if Whitney and Buzz were still there. That would confirm for her if the others had made it back or where still here. She hoped that James had been wrong and they were still here. The gate was up, but Whitney and Buzz were not among the horses there. She brushed at the tears that came, sniffed and wiped her eyes, nose, and then rode down to the beach.

The watch on The Zeus saw her. She waved for someone to come ashore. Robert, Will, Pintel and Ragetti came ashore. She shouted, "Will, you are still here!"

He put up his hand in front of him so the others couldn't see. His expression told her something wasn't right, so she stopped and waited for him to come to her. "He said loud enough for only her to hear, "Tell them you need to talk to me alone."

"All right," she said softly, then loudly she gave the order. "Men, I need to confer with Will alone," she said matter of factly.

"We thought you was dead," Pintel said, his eyebrows furrowed, as his mind tried to come up with a reason she wasn't.

"I am not. And am not pleased that I had to find my way back without you finding me," she motioned for them to stay behind. "Mind the boat."

"Aye Cap'n," Ragetti said, and jumped when Pintel hit him. "I was goin' ta say that, ya stupid blighter," Pintel growled.

They moved farther away on the sand. "You are still here? Where are the horses? Where is Lydia? Where is The Pearl?" She looked around gesturing towards The Zeus.

"Enough Captain Pegasus! I can only answer if you give me a chance. I am still here, just like you, but those two and the rest went back," he said, as he stopped to pick up a rock and toss it across the sand.

"What? I don't understand."

"Pintel is right, we thought you were dead. Is Norrington alive?" Will asked.

"Yes, and you need to know, we are married. James thought we were stuck here. He wanted to protect me and thought we should make the best of it. But what about you?" She asked, as she started to twist her ring, at Will's raised eyebrows.

"We will get back to that later. Jack and Barbossa figured that Norrington's sword must have been the missing link. We stole it and Barbossa took Norrington's place. It worked, except the man I was fighting pushed me back outside the perimeter that I needed to be inside. They all went back, I didn't. The men you see here, know what happened here, but no nothing of the twenty first century. It is some kind of time parallel." Will shrugged, so we are stuck.

"I don't know how much I can trust James. He is determined to make the best of things here. But I have a foreboding that he isn't telling me everything. He met with Beckett yesterday and is there now. I have to get back, he doesn't know I am gone," she supplied the information. Will's eyebrows had risen again at her use of Norrington's given name.

"What about his sword?" She asked.

"I haven't been able to get to town to see if it is there or not. You could do that, at least his house. I am sure you can get into the EIC offices too. Just be careful, I will meet you where the trail starts for here in two weeks. I will let Jack and Barbossa know that you and Norrington survived. But it would be best if Barbossa didn't know you are married for now. He had set his mind that you were under his protection. I can tell you, that they are not the same as the Barbossa and Jack from our time. They are exactly what they seem, pirates, with pirate ways," Will warned her.

"I understand. I will do what I can and let James know only what he needs to know. I will tell him you are still here, but that I ran into you when I was riding," Niece said, chewing on the necklace.

Will grabbed up the reins of her horse, which was standing ground tied a little away from them. Handing them to her, he said, "Be careful and remember what I said about Jack and Barbossa."

She nodded, mounted and rode off, looking back over her shoulder, she saw The Pearl coming into the cove. She kept going even though she heard the pistol shot trying to get her attention to stop.

Niece made it back, before James got back, She was waiting for him, when he came in. She told him that she had taken a ride, and had seen Will. That Will was also left behind and how that had come to be. She didn't tell him about the cove or that she had seen both ships. She didn't want to keep things from him, but she had to find out where his loyalties lay first. He seemed to be at a cross roads right now in those loyalties.

A/N: This is the last chapter for this story. I wanted to get it finished before AWE came out and I didn't. So I had to change quite a bit of my story. In truth, I always wanted this to be a Barbossa/OC story and that is where Niece was going to end up. But after seeing AWE, I couldn't do that to may favorite Norrington. So I am taking a chance that I am going to get flamed by some of my readers for letting Niece go with Norrington. I am stopping it here, because this is as good of a place as any. There will be a sequel that will tell Niece and Norrington's story during AWE and after. If you have seen AWE, then you are wondering how? You will have to read the sequel and see. I hope you enjoyed this part of their story.


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